Google Maps Lawsuit: North Carolina Man Dies After Driving Off Collapsed Bridge

In a recent legal action, the family of a North Carolina man, Philip Paxson, who tragically lost his life when his vehicle drove off a bridge that had collapsed, is suing tech giant Google for alleged negligence. The suit contends that Google had been made aware of the bridge’s state but neglected to update its Google Maps’ navigation system accordingly, as reported by The Independent. 

Philip Paxson, a devoted father and medical device salesman, met with a fatal accident on September 30, 2022, as his Jeep Gladiator plummeted into Snow Creek in Hickory. This incident occurred while he was navigating his way back from his daughter’s ninth birthday celebration through an unfamiliar area, relying on Google Maps for directions. Allegedly, the app directed him to cross a bridge that had suffered a collapse nine years prior and had never been repaired.

Alicia Paxson, the grieving widow, stated in a press release, “Our girls ask how and why their daddy died, and I’m at a loss for words they can understand because, as an adult, I still can’t understand how those responsible for the GPS directions and the bridge could have acted with so little regard for human life.”

During the investigation, state troopers discovered Paxson’s overturned and partially submerged truck with no barriers or warning signs present along the washed-out roadway. He had driven off an unguarded edge, crashing about 20 feet below, as outlined in the lawsuit.

The North Carolina State Patrol confirmed that the bridge lacked maintenance from local or state authorities, and the original developer’s company had dissolved. The lawsuit identifies several private property management firms as responsible parties for the bridge and the adjacent land.

The legal filing indicates that multiple individuals had previously notified Google Maps about the bridge’s collapse, urging the company to update its route information. Email records from a Hickory resident in September 2020 were submitted, utilising the map’s “suggest and edit” feature to report that the app was directing drivers over the collapsed bridge. An email confirmation from Google in November 2020 acknowledged receipt of the report and mentioned a review of the suggested change. However, the lawsuit claims that no further actions were taken by Google.

As of now, Google, headquartered in California with a registered office in Raleigh, has not issued a response to the lawsuit.