Google Faces Lawsuit Over Fatal Bridge Incident Alleging Negligence in Map Updates

In a tragic incident that occurred in September 2022, Philip Paxson lost his life while driving over a damaged bridge in Hickory, North Carolina. Now, his family is taking legal action against Google, alleging that the tech giant negligently failed to update its maps to reflect that the bridge had collapsed nine years earlier.

The lawsuit, filed in civil court in Wake County, asserts that Mr. Paxson, a father of two, was in an unfamiliar neighborhood at the time of his death. He had been driving home from his daughter’s ninth birthday party at a friend’s house, and his wife had driven their two daughters home earlier while he stayed behind to help clean up.

“Unfamiliar with local roads, he relied on Google Maps, expecting it would safely direct him home to his wife and daughters,” stated the family’s lawyers in a press release. “Tragically, as he drove cautiously in the darkness and rain, he unsuspectingly followed Google’s outdated directions to what his family later learned for nearly a decade was called the ‘Bridge to Nowhere,’ crashing into Snow Creek, where he drowned.”

According to the lawsuit, local residents had repeatedly contacted Google to request updates to its online maps after the bridge collapsed in 2013. Additionally, the suit claims that barriers, which were typically placed across the bridge entrance, were missing due to vandalism, further contributing to the tragedy.

The lawsuit not only targets Google but also sues three local companies, alleging that they had a duty to maintain the bridge.

Philip Paxson’s wife, Alicia Paxson, expressed the family’s deep grief and frustration, stating, “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.”

In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Google told AP News, “Our goal is to provide accurate routing information in Maps, and we are reviewing this lawsuit.”

This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of accurate and up-to-date mapping services, as well as the potential consequences of relying on technology for navigation in unfamiliar areas. The legal proceedings will shed light on the responsibilities of technology companies like Google in ensuring the safety of their users.