Los Angeles Waymo Accident Lawyer
$800+ Million Recovered No Fees Until We Win
Los Angeles Waymo Accident Lawyer
Have you been injured in a Waymo or other self-driving car accident in Los Angeles, CA? Call M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers at 866-864-5477 or contact us for a free consultation. Driverless robotaxis now share LA’s streets and freeways — and when their technology fails, the people they injure deserve answers and full compensation.
At M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ve won more than $800 million for injured Californians. Autonomous vehicle cases are new, complex, and fought hard by some of the largest tech companies in the world — and we have the resources and experience to take them on.
Your first consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us today.
Table of Contents
How M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Waymo Accident
When you hire our firm after a self-driving car crash, we will:
- Investigate the crash and identify every party that may be responsible
- Move quickly to preserve the vehicle’s sensor data, video, and system logs before they are lost
- Work with autonomous-technology experts and accident reconstruction specialists
- Handle the insurance companies and tech-company lawyers for you
- Fight for full compensation — and take your case to trial if the offer isn’t fair
What Is Waymo and How Does It Operate in Los Angeles?
Waymo is a fully autonomous (self-driving) ride-hailing service owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company. Riders summon a driverless car through the Waymo One app — there is no human driver behind the wheel.
In Los Angeles, Waymo operates around the clock across a service area of roughly 120 square miles, covering neighborhoods such as downtown, Miracle Mile, Koreatown, Santa Monica, Westwood, West Hollywood, Playa del Rey, Echo Park, and Silver Lake. As of late 2025, Waymo also began carrying passengers on Los Angeles freeways within that service area. Its vehicles — Jaguar I-PACE SUVs fitted with the Waymo Driver’s cameras, radar, and lidar — share the road with you whether you are a passenger, another driver, a pedestrian, a cyclist, or a motorcyclist.
Waymo operates under permits from the California DMV and the California Public Utilities Commission, and California’s autonomous-vehicle law (Vehicle Code § 38750) sets safety rules these companies must follow.
Who Is Liable in a Waymo Accident in California?
A Waymo crash is more complicated than an ordinary car accident, because there is no human driver to point to. Responsibility can fall on one party or several. Depending on what failed, the liable parties may include:
- Waymo (and its parent, Alphabet) — the company that operates the service and designed the self-driving system. Waymo can be held responsible through product liability or negligence when its technology causes a crash.
- Vehicle and parts manufacturers — if a defective component, sensor, or piece of hardware contributed.
- Software and technology vendors — if faulty code or a flawed algorithm caused the vehicle to misjudge speed, distance, or a hazard.
- Maintenance contractors — if poor upkeep, a missed software update, or a miscalibrated sensor created the danger.
- Another driver — if a separate human driver caused or contributed to the crash.
- A government agency — if a dangerous road condition played a role (these claims have a short six-month deadline).
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule (California Civil Code §§ 1714 and 1431.2). That means more than one party can share fault — and you can still recover compensation even if you were partly at fault, though your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Can I Sue Waymo Directly?
Yes. If Waymo’s self-driving system caused or contributed to your crash, you can bring a claim against the company through product liability or negligence. Product liability claims generally involve a design defect, a manufacturing defect, or a failure to warn. Because Waymo owns and operates its vehicles, it can be held directly responsible when its technology fails.
How Does Insurance Work in a Waymo Accident?
California requires companies that operate autonomous vehicles to carry substantial commercial insurance, and Waymo maintains its own coverage to protect passengers, other motorists, pedestrians, and property owners.
In practice, though, the claims process can become a maze. Waymo’s insurer may dispute fault, another driver’s insurer may argue the self-driving system was to blame, and a separate product-liability claim may be needed against the technology itself. Sorting out these overlapping policies — and making sure you are not pushed into an early, lowball settlement — is exactly where an experienced attorney makes the difference.
Why Waymo Accident Cases Are Different
Autonomous vehicle cases turn on evidence that ordinary crashes don’t involve:
- Data controlled by the company. Every Waymo records detailed sensor data, video, lidar, and system logs. This information can show exactly what the vehicle detected and decided — but it is held by Waymo, and it must be preserved quickly before it is lost or overwritten.
- The question of autonomous mode. Establishing that the vehicle was driving itself at the moment of impact is often central to the case.
- The need for experts. These cases frequently require autonomous-technology specialists, accident reconstruction experts, and medical experts to connect a technology failure to your injuries.
Acting fast matters. The sooner a lawyer sends evidence-preservation demands, the better your chances of getting the full truth.
Are Waymo Robotaxis Safe?
Waymo reports that its vehicles are involved in far fewer injury crashes than human drivers — by its own data, roughly 91% fewer serious-injury crashes and 92% fewer crashes that injure pedestrians.
But driverless does not mean flawless. Federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have opened investigations into Waymo’s system, and the company has issued several voluntary software recalls. In May 2025, Waymo recalled the software in more than 1,200 robotaxis after vehicles collided with roadway barriers such as gates and chains. In December 2025, it announced another software recall after reports that its cars failed to stop for stopped school buses. When that technology fails and someone is hurt, the law allows the injured person to seek compensation.
What to Do After a Waymo Accident in Los Angeles
- Get medical help. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and see a doctor even if you feel fine — some injuries appear later.
- Call the police and make sure a report is created.
- Document everything. Photograph the Waymo vehicle (including any visible ID numbers or sensors), the scene, the damage, and your injuries.
- Get witness information. Independent witnesses can be vital.
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer before speaking with a lawyer.
- Contact a Los Angeles Waymo accident lawyer right away — so the vehicle’s data can be preserved before it disappears.
Compensation You Can Recover After a Waymo Accident
If a Waymo crash injured you, you may be entitled to recover:
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost income and lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- In a fatal crash, wrongful death damages for surviving family members
How Long Do I Have to File a Waymo Accident Claim?
In California, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). If a loved one died, a wrongful death claim also generally must be filed within two years. If a government agency may be responsible, a claim usually must be presented within just six months. Because evidence in autonomous-vehicle cases can disappear quickly, you should not wait to get legal advice.
Waymo Accident FAQs
Who pays if a self-driving Waymo hits me?
Can I sue Waymo if I was a passenger?
What if I was partly at fault?
How much does a Waymo accident lawyer cost?
Why do I need a lawyer for a Waymo crash?
Contact a Los Angeles Waymo Accident Lawyer
Self-driving cars are new — but your right to compensation after a crash is not. If a Waymo or other autonomous vehicle injured you or someone you love in Los Angeles, M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers is ready to help.
We offer a free case evaluation and work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win. Call 866-864-5477 or contact us online today — we’re available 24/7.