Nowadays, people use Google Map to find the way to go anywhere. However, sometimes due to a long route being shown on it, people raise questions on its working method. But can someone die because of Google Map?
Death due to Google Map
In fact, a woman from North Carolina has blamed Google Maps for the death of her husband Philip Paxson and has sued it. He claims that Philip went to a broken bridge while following Google Maps. His car fell down and he died.
The bridge was broken for 5 years but…
He said that he came to know that the bridge was broken for five years, but Google had not updated it in its navigation system. The medical device salesman and father of two drowned last September after his Jeep Gladiator plunged into Snow Creek in Hickory, North Carolina, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. He was on his way home for his daughter’s ninth birthday party when the accident occurred.
‘Daughters ask how their father died’
His wife, Alicia Paxson, said “My daughters ask how and why their dad died, and I don’t have any answers because I’m not old enough to understand things like GPS.” Police found Paxton’s body upside down and partially Found in a submerged car. There were no barriers or warning signs on the damaged bridge.
Car fell 20 feet
According to the lawsuit, Phillip walked onto the bridge following the map and fell approximately 20 feet. The North Carolina State Patrol said the bridge was not maintained by local or state officials, and the original developer’s company had closed.
‘People had given information to Google many times’
The lawsuit names several private property management companies that it claims are responsible for the bridge and surrounding land. Many people had informed Google Maps about the bridge collapse in the years before Paxson’s death and had urged the company to update its route information. But the company did not do anything like this.
The court filing includes email records from another Hickory resident, who suggested editing the map in September 2020 to alert the company. A November 2020 email from Google confirms that the company received her report and is reviewing the suggested changes, but the lawsuit claims Google took no further action.