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Suing Google
AveryZoe
June 2, 2010
From the "if you don't have common sense, get a lawyer instead" file comes the case of a lawsuit recently filed against Google. Lauren Rosenberg was using Google Maps' walking directions feature in Park City, Utah. The directions she received from Google Maps told her to walk around a half of a mile next to a busy highway. The highway did not have any sidewalks or walkways for pedestrians, so Ms. Rosenberg walked alongside the road. Then, she got hit by a car.
Now, one would assume that Ms. Rosenberg might rightfully be a bit upset by the whole getting run over thing, and so she filed a lawsuit against Patrick Harwood, who was driving the car that struck her. What is curious though, is that she also filed a suit against Google. Against to the attorneys for Lauren Rosenberg, Google is also liable for her accident because the directions that Google Maps gave her did not warn her of the unsafe walking conditions. It should be noted that the directions given on the website did mention this, but the Blackberry app used by Ms. Rosenberg did not.
Ours is a highly litigious society, but this seems a bit absurd. Google Maps is a very useful service, but it should not be expected to replace common sense. If your coffee is hot, don't spill it on your lap. If a super-busy highway does not have sidewalks, perhaps you shouldn't walk next to it--or at the very least exercise extreme caution. Would Ms. Rosenberg sue the maker of a paper map had she used that for directions instead? I think not. This seems like yet another case of someone suing a big company in the hopes they will just settle and give them some money for doing nothing more than being stupid.
So what do you think? Was Lauren Rosenberg wronged by Google? Should they have done more to protect the safety of their users? Or is Ms. Rosenberg simply trying to take all she can get?
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