Google Maps lawsuit overview:
- Who: Plaintiff Alicia Paxson has filed a lawsuit against Google and an entity responsible for maintaining Snow Creek Bridge in Hickory, North Carolina.
- Why: Her husband reportedly drowned after following Google Maps directions that led him to the unmarked and unbarricaded bridge.
- Where: The Google Maps death lawsuit was filed in North Carolina Superior Court.
Google is facing a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by a widow whose husband tragically drowned after driving off a collapsed bridge while following Google Maps GPS instructions.
Plaintiff Alicia Paxson says her husband Philip Paxson died the night of Sept. 30, 2022, after following Google Maps directions to drive over an unmarked and unbarricaded collapsed bridge in Hickory, North Carolina.
The Google Maps lawsuit says that the Snow Creek Bridge had collapsed in 2013 and community members have notified Google of the danger its GPS poses to people who are unfamiliar with the area. However, Google allegedly failed to update its navigation system with this information.
“Mr. Paxson suffered the fate that many community residents feared: his vehicle drove off of the unguarded edge of the collapsed bridge and he was injured and killed,” the Google Maps lawsuit alleges.
He is survived by Alicia Paxson and two young daughters, according to the complaint.
Alicia Paxson also names a business entity and two individuals she says are responsible for maintaining the bridge and erecting proper barricades and warning signs to notify drivers about the hazards posed by the collapsed bridge.
“The bridge was in a dangerous, hazardous and defective condition at the time of the incident and for years prior,” the Google Maps lawsuit says.
Google Maps lawsuit says there was no warning or indication of Snow Creek Bridge collapse
Philip Paxson allegedly used the Google Maps application to select his route home from his daughter’s birthday party in an area that was unfamiliar to him. The app allegedly directed him to travel over the collapsed Snow Creek Bridge, which had reportedly collapsed in 2013 and was never repaired.
Google Maps allegedly depicted the Snow Creek Bridge as a passable road. Because Google Maps directed him to take this route and there were no barricades or warning signs informing him of the danger, Philip Paxson drove off the unguarded edge of the bridge, crashing 20 feet below, the Google Maps lawsuit says, noting that “the area was pitch black” at the time of the crash.
Alicia Paxson’s attorneys submitted another request to update Google Maps to indicate that the Snow Creek Bridge had collapsed, informing the company of the tragic death. However, Google Maps still indicated the bridge was passable months after the edit request was sent.
The Google Maps death lawsuit asserts claims for negligent, grossly negligent, willful and wanton conduct and loss of consortium, and seeks punitive damages from all defendants.
Google recently agreed to pay $23 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it shared search queries with third-party websites and companies without users’ consent.
What do you think about the Google Maps lawsuit? Join the discussion in the comments.
Alicia Paxson is represented by Larry Bendesky, Robert W. Zimmerman and Michael Benz of Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky and Meredith S. Hinton and Brian M. Ricci of the Ricci Law Firm.
The Google Maps death lawsuit is Alicia Paxson v. Google LLC d/b/a Google, et al., Case No. 23CV026335-910, in the North Carolina Superior Court, Wake County.
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40 thoughts onWoman files lawsuit against Google Maps following husband’s death
What is lame is frivolous comments, A man lost his LIFE, he didn’t spill a cup of hot coffee on himself (that was a frivolous lawsuit).
Do ewe see the diffference “Bubba”?? No amount of money will bring him back, but maybe these companies will think twice before ignoring important geographical updates.
Many times I’ve been taken to areas with no roads but google maps will continue to say “proceed to the route” and “go strait.” Just two days ago it kept telling me to turn right on to a one way road that was going the opposite direction. I was looking for a business one day and google maps kept telling me I was there when I was not. It was a barn in the middle of nowhere. Makes me wonder about the drivers and online mappers that are mapping the areas.
I am so relieved to hear that Google is going to get a true thrashing, it’s hard to be happy about it since Mr. Paxson lost his life. No doubt the Paxson’s deserve 10’s of millions for the gross and criminal negligence that caused them the greatest of harms.
Google bears some responsibility for ignoring the reported updates. for 9 year. Whoever managers this roadway is also negligent in my option for not putting up warming signs, a barricade, anything to provide drivers with a warning. I have reported many map errors to Google such as “there is no road there in reality, and if you look at your won sat elite images, you can clearly see there is no road.” Google replied with, “yeah thanks but we think there is a road there based upon our furthar review. ” Google Maps is a joke lately.
I totally understand and support this women. I used their navigation this passed weekend and almost went off a cliff on a dirt road to a hiking location in New Mexico. Google maps is wrong and unsafe! I would love to be in this matter and support this woman.
yes, you find the address on google and submit a correction with photos and show the correct location. I’ve done it myself and it only took a few days to update
The article states that an edit was submitted and was not changed after several months.
sure, Google should have updated the navigation, but if it was so dangerous for years and the townspeople feared something like this would happen, why the hell wouldn’t they rope it off or put up some saftety cones or a sign? That’s just reckless and irresponsible and whoever is responsible for roads in Hickory should have done it. Hell, if I lived there and saw that going on for a year, I would have done it myself. What’s wrong with people?
Google has my address wrong. Any packages, deliveries, ambulance calls, etc., are all directed to a house 300 feet west of my home. Is there a way to correct this grave error?
This is lame and the definition of frivolous lawsuits.
You won’t feel this way when God forbid a loved one of your’s dies from a company’s negligence. An issue they were aware of and could have EASILY corrected but CHOSE not to.
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