Boston Bus Crash - Victims Sue Satnav Companies

Darren

Ah, the United States of America, land of the free and the litigious.

Now victims of a 2013 bus crash in Boston, Massachusetts are suing TomTom and Garmin for $15 million in damages. Thirty-five people were injured when the bus hit an overpass in the city.

The bus driver was using both a Garmin and a TomTom satnav, neither of which were intended for use by commercial vehicles, but the lawsuit claims that the GPS units were at fault for not providing road height restrictions.

So do these people really think it's TomTom and Garmin who are to blame and not the bus company and the driver? Or do they, as is more likely, think these companies might have more cash?

I might have commented that this sort of compensation culture claim could only happen in America but we seem to be moving towards the same habit of suing whenever we thing there is some money to be had.

Source: www.nltimes.nl

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Darren Griffin

Kremmen · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 12:00 pm Post subject:

I think that the small print telling users that they are only an aid and caution should be exercised will win out.
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MaFt · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 2:16 pm Post subject:

Wrong tool for the purpose... Would you expect someone to sue Black & Decker because they used a power drill in a dentists for a filling?

MaFt

Kremmen · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:06 pm Post subject:

Yes, it will be interesting to hear the result, if we ever do.
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K13ehr · Lifetime Member Joined: Jul 12, 2008 Posts: 286

georgemonaghan · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:53 am Post subject: It is only a matter of time.

It is only a matter of time before the Satnav companies lose a claim and that the "catch all" warning will be insufficient.
Some lawyer must think they have a claim that is potentially winnable.

Robot cars are being tested just now in UK cities steered by GPS systems of some kind. How long before they are involved in an accident and a trial to determine "what" was to blame?

It is only a matter of time before some judge finds them "liable" for giving an individual the "wrong" information or instruction.

Let's see how this case pans out - I am sure there will be others soon.
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George

IanS100 · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:35 pm Post subject:

working on the basis of this claim any map manufacturer that doesn't include height restrictions would also be to blame, and what about the pedestrian that you ask for directions - the world is going mad!
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DennisN · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: It is only a matter of time.

kennym · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2010 Posts: 1

TWO satnavs!

Maybe if the driver was paying (more) attention to the road and not watching his TWO satnavs, the accident wouldn't have happened.

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