The tragic death of Philip Paxson, a devoted father and medical device salesman, has sparked an intense legal battle, highlighting the ramifications of technological negligence and oversight.
Paxson met his untimely end after his vehicle plummeted off a dilapidated bridge into Snow Creek in Hickory, North Carolina, following directions provided by Google Maps, as reported by NBC News.
The fatal incident occurred on September 30 last year as Paxson was returning from his daughter’s ninth birthday celebration.
A lawsuit has been initiated by Paxson’s family against tech giant Google, alleging negligence on the part of the company, whose navigation system directed Paxson to a bridge that had collapsed nine years prior and was never restored.
The lawsuit asserts that Google had been informed about the bridge’s condition but failed to update its navigation system, leading to this catastrophic event.
Alicia Paxson, Philip’s grieving widow, expressed her profound anguish, 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."
The absence of warning signs and barriers along the eroded roadway was highlighted by state troopers who discovered Paxson's body in his overturned and partially submerged truck.
The lawsuit indicates that Paxson plunged approximately 19 feet below from an unprotected edge. It also reveals that the bridge was not under the maintenance of local or state officials, and the original developer’s company had been dissolved.
The court documents name several private property management companies, alleged to be responsible for the bridge and adjoining land, reflecting the complex web of accountability surrounding this tragic incident.
The lawsuit mentions multiple notifications sent to Google Maps regarding the bridge's state, urging the company to amend its route information.
Email records included in the court filings depict persistent attempts by another resident in September 2020 to inform Google about the perilous directions. Although Google confirmed receiving the report and its subsequent review, the lawsuit claims that no substantive actions were taken by the company to rectify this glaring oversight.
A spokesperson from Google expressed the company’s condolences to the Paxson family and emphasized the company's commitment to providing accurate routing information in Maps while confirming the ongoing review of this lawsuit.
A poignant Facebook post from Paxson’s mother-in-law emphasizes the preventable nature of this accident and the overwhelming grief besieging the family and friends. “He will be greatly missed by his family and friends,” she said, via the Independent. “It was a totally preventable accident. We are grieving his death.”
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