Google sued after man dies following its Maps directions off broken bridge

A man from North Carolina, US lost his life after driving off a broken bridge while following directions from Google Maps, which resulted in a fatal fall of approximately 20 feet. The incident took place on September 30, 2022 when Philip Paxson was navigating through an unfamiliar neighborhood, reportedly relying on Google Maps for guidance. The medical device salesman and a US Navy veteran was on his way home from his daughter's ninth birthday party.

The family of the deceased has filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, alleging negligence. The lawsuit also blames two other businesses and an individual for the same. While one may wonder that the broken bridge would have been apparent to the driver, the lawsuit claims that Paxson was driving during inclement weather on a dark and rainy evening. In fact, police noted that the bridge had no barriers, warning signs, or other features to alert drivers to the danger.

The said bridge collapsed almost a decade ago and has been unpassable ever since. The lawsuit claims that Google Maps did not remove it from its route guidance despite receiving numerous calls for the same. Notably, the family of the deceased has also included the owners of the bridge, Tarde, LLC, James Tarlton, and Hinckley Gauvain, LLC in the lawsuit.

However, authorities have noted that the bridge wasn't maintained by local or state officials and that the original developer's company had dissolved.

Google spokesperson José Castaneda expressed condolences to the family and confirmed that the tech giant is actively reviewing the lawsuit. The spokesperson underscored the significance of addressing safety concerns to prevent similar tragedies in the future and stated that the company's primary goal is to provide accurate routing information in Google Maps.

However, this tragic incident has raised questions on the accuracy of Google Maps and the practice of blindly following its route guidance.

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