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Lady sues Google over their directions

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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.

Lady sues Google over their directions

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.

Spokesperson for Google, Elaine Filadelfo said “the company had not received a copy of the lawsuit and could not discuss it, but she disputed Mr Young’s assertion that Google Maps provides no warning that walking routes may be missing footpaths or pedestrian areas. Every software version for desktop computers and mobile devices has had that disclaimer since Google Maps was launched in 2008.”

The Park City police also stated that some segments of Deer Valley Drive have footpaths but not the stretch that Rosenberg reached. The street has a walking path on the side Ms Rosenberg failed to reach. Rosenberg’s lawyer said the walking path was “totally snowpacked” and of no use to pedestrians in January.

Picture courtesy of Yodel Anecdotal

10 Comments

  • i think the lady crossed the steet at her own risk. its not googles fault that the car was speeding and hit her its her fault for crossing the steet without looking. it just makes since, why should google have to pay for somthing she did. the map didnt say walk across all four lanes. i mean come on now.
    A wrote on 11th June 2010
  • Was she looking at the directions on her phone while she was crossing the street to look for cars? The phone doesn't actually show the real time traffic.
    B wrote on 25th June 2010
  • [...] more at Shocking Times (Thanks [...]
    Lady Sues Google Over Their Directions « Derren Brown Blog wrote on 27th July 2010
  • I think she should be given a penalty fine for Jay-walking. And the driver of the car should have his lisence revoked for speeding. Google need to adjust their direction system to humans rather than how crows fly.
    C wrote on 27th July 2010
  • i think that it is rediculas to actually believe its googles fault. you cross a st. at your own risk. google did not push you out into traffic, and shes asking a little much out of a map service to know whether or not shit was plowed. i mean come on google maps has no idea where my apartment is, so what i figure out by my self. google just takes the information and gives it to you it may or may not be accuarate.
    Amanda Brown wrote on 4th September 2010
  • why would someone sue google cause they crossed the street on there own good.... its dumb that she thinks it google fault....google didnt push her in the road...google didnt say to walk in the street....it gave her directions from where to go not to cross the street and get hit by a motorized vehicle...
    mlc wrote on 17th September 2010
  • In that news article it says she attempted to cross the street because she couldn't make it to the footpath on the other side, so she is technically at fault because she wasn't in a crosswalk, no where on in the article does it say she was in a crosswalk.
    Reece wrote on 16th October 2010
  • Was the lady j-walking? If she did that, the case should be closed. I seriously doubt that google directed her to cross a four lane road on foot, without looking for moving vehicles. She walked across at her own risk, especially at night! She needs to not depend on a website, she needs to learn how to get a map and read and study it herself!
    A wrote on 31st October 2010
  • Really...this is a lawsuit. Can Americans get over themselves and stop suing people for lack of ability to accept their own retardation.
    Tim wrote on 4th November 2010
  • Aha, Tim that made me laugh :D
    heloo19986 wrote on 2nd February 2011

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