Family Sues Google Maps After Dad Follows Directions Off A Collapsed Bridge

The family of US Navy veteran Philip Paxson has filed a lawsuit against Google after a tragic accident led to his death. Paxson, a 47-year-old father of two, was using Google Maps for navigation when he was directed onto a bridge that had collapsed a decade ago. The absence of barriers or warning signs resulted in his vehicle plunging 20 feet below, causing his drowning.

The family’s lawsuit alleges Google’s negligence in not updating its navigation system despite multiple reports about the bridge’s dangerous condition. One such report, an email from September 2020, was acknowledged by Google but no further action was taken. Shockingly, as of April 26, 2023, Google Maps still showed the collapsed bridge as a passable road.

In a press conference, Paxson’s widow, Alicia, expressed her 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.”