“Pedestrian Lauren Rosenberg, who was injured by a motorist whilst following Google Maps direction which she had downloaded, has a lawsuit seeking more than $100,000 (£68,000) in the US District Court in Utah against Google claiming that they had supplied unsafe directions. The lawsuit also names the motorist which hit her.
Although this case has become a talking point across the internet and on many blogs and forums, with many critics blaming the woman for ignoring her own safety to follow directions blindly, Rosenberg’s lawyer Allen Young said the truth was different. The directions Ms Rosenberg downloaded to her phone in January gave directions from one end of Park City to the other however the Google Maps led her to a four-lane street without footpaths. According to the lawsuit filed by the California resident that route was “not reasonably safe for pedestrians.”
Ms Rosenberg states that she did believe she could reach a footpath on the other side of Deer Valley Drive, so she tried to cross the four-lane street however she did not reach the median because she was struck by a speeding car on a pitch-black night. Rosenberg received multiple bone fractures and she required six weeks of rehabilitation.
Her lawyer Mr Young said,” We think there’s enough fault to go around, but Google had some responsibility to direct people correctly or warn them, they created a trap with walking instructions that people rely on. She relied on it and thought she should cross the street.” He also states that Ms Rosenberg is seeking compensation for her medical bills as well as more for lost wages and punitive damages.”
Read more at Shocking Times (Thanks Tracey)
I am, once again, amazed by the lengths people go to when avoiding responsibility over their own lives.
“they created a trap with walking instructions that people rely on”… Cool, I can’t wait for this new game of Lemmings to come out!
Why is it in cases like this, that the ‘victim’ will always find anyone but themselves to blame for their own actions and decisions.
If she was using maps on an iPhone, it does say explicitly “Walking directions (beta): use caution”
maps.google.co.uk if you press the pedestrian button says “Walking directions are in beta.
Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.”
Seems like warning enough for me.
They should have a disclaimer ‘please note: remember to keep your eyes open and that these directions are for guidance only’.
And what’s the disclaimer that Google puts on it’s pedestrian directions?
Oh yes, that they should be used with caution as they don’t guarantee they’re suitable and may not have footpaths.
Why do people insist on blaming others for their own stupidity? She may have a claim against the speeding driver, but going after Google is simply gold digging.
Throw it out of court and fine her for wasting everyone’s time.
Ehehehe … you can do that? Sue them for incorrect maps??? Oh man .. can I sue a lot of websites … I’m gonna be filthy rich.
Serious, there is a lot of incorrect maps out there .. outdated but also sloppy or vague maps .. with weird directions … you should not try to make sense out of them while driving .. then you def. wont end up where you intended to go but more like to the hospital ..
Pffft. idiot.
presumably she didn’t actually read the message which clearly says that the directions might not be correct and to use caution..
then again, this is less about google, and more about the iniquitous american health system. If we were as screwed over as them, we would look for someone to blame as well.
So if google maps gave me directions to jump over a canyon and I did and I nearly killed myself in the process, I’d be able to sue them because I made the decision to jump over it?
This is typical! Ya know, it wouldn’t even cross my mind to sue Google if this happened to me. But then I’m not one of the many sad people who will do anything for money. Aaaaaaaaargh!
I once (for a laugh mind) asked for walking instructions from where I live, in South Wales, to London. I’m pretty sure it directed me along the motorway. I obviously wouldn’t attempt that, I’d have to be a flaming idiot. Like this woman apparently is. There is a reason that google maps has a disclaimer, so she can’t say she wasn’t warned! I bloody hope she doesn’t win, if she does it will be a sad day.
So if someone asks me for direcions I should now refuse to give them, on the grounds that if a bridge is down or a pot-hole has opened up, or I accidentally say ‘Third right’ instead of ‘Second right’ they can sue me.
Have they also removed the gag directions from (IIRC) Boston to England where it took you down to the docks and then told you “swim 3400 miles” – and if so is it to avoid more numpty-induced legal shenanigans like this?
So every place on the Internet should have a checkbox to tick that says “I will be the only one responsible for my actions if I follow any advice given by this website”? And when I chat to other people in the real world, should I get them to sign two copies of a declaration of their sole responsibility over their actions? And if they won’t sign it, I’m allowed to wear a T-shirt saying “I’m with stupid”.
people like her make my blood boil
“struck by a speeding car on a pitch-black night” ….. sounds like if at the very least she should be sueing the driver…. and lets be honest, pitch black night, who’s fault is it if she chooses to cross the road on a map she doesn’t think is right!? – some people are really annoying.
Oh dear, if she wins, do you think that she may buy herself a brain? Foolish woman.
Although, do have wonderful visions of her using a “torch app” to find her way across the road!!! LOL
google thought that staples corner in northwest London was in Uganda