A family in the United States has taken legal action against Google after a tragic incident where a man tragically lost his life following directions from Google Maps. Philip Paxson died in September of the previous year when his vehicle careened off a bridge in Hickory, North Carolina, which had collapsed in 2013.
In a lawsuit filed against Google's parent company, Alphabet, Paxson's wife, Alicia, alleged that “Google Maps directed him to cross the Snow Creek Bridge” as he was driving through an unfamiliar neighbourhood while returning home from his daughter's ninth birthday party. Tragically, the Navy veteran's lifeless body was discovered by state troopers inside his overturned and partially submerged truck.
The lawsuit revealed that Paxson had driven off an unguarded edge, plummeting a harrowing 20 feet below. There were no warning signs or barriers along the roadway to alert him to the impending danger.
Alicia Paxson, in her statement, expressed the heartbreak her family has endured. She mentioned her daughters' persistent questions about their father's tragic passing, highlighting the profound loss and confusion stemming from the circumstances surrounding his death.
Moreover, in the years leading up to this devastating incident, Google Maps had received multiple notifications from concerned individuals, urging the tech giant to update its route information, according to the lawsuit.
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In response to the lawsuit, a Google spokesperson conveyed the company's deep sympathy for the Paxson family. They emphasized that Google's primary objective is to provide accurate routing information through Google Maps and stated that they are actively reviewing the lawsuit.
This tragic incident underscores the importance of ensuring the accuracy of navigation tools and the responsibility of technology companies to promptly address known issues to prevent such devastating consequences in the future.
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Inputs from IANS
