An empty driver’s seat can leave you questioning who should pay for your injuries. After a Waymo self-driving car accident, you may be dealing with medical bills and missed work while trying to understand whether Waymo, another driver, or a problem with the vehicle caused the collision.
At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we help Lancaster residents pursue answers and accountability. We can help examine the self-driving vehicle’s role in the crash, identify potentially responsible parties, and address insurance disputes.
You will work directly with an attorney who explains the evidence and your options without expecting you to understand the technology yourself.
Contact the Law Offices of Steers & Associates for a free consultation to discuss what happened and how we can help you move forward.
Can You Sue Waymo After an Accident in California?
Yes. You may sue Waymo if its negligence caused your injuries or if it is legally responsible for a defective product that caused you harm. You do not have to be a Waymo passenger to bring a claim. You can also bring a claim if you were injured as one of the following:
- Pedestrians,
- Cyclists, and
- People in other vehicles.
The absence of a human driver does not shield the company from liability, but Waymo’s involvement in a collision does not automatically establish fault.
A negligence claim requires evidence that the company owed you a duty of care, failed to meet that duty, and that failure caused your injuries and resulting losses. The focus is on identifying what Waymo did—or failed to do—that contributed to your injuries.
Who Could Be Responsible for Your Injuries?
Waymo, a maintenance company, a vehicle or parts manufacturer, or another driver could be responsible for your injuries. Identifying the right party requires examining both what happened on the road and whether a vehicle defect contributed to the collision.
Waymo
Waymo may be liable if its failure to use reasonable care in operating or maintaining its vehicles caused your injuries. Potential negligence claims could involve the following issues, depending on the evidence:
- Unsafe vehicle operation. A vehicle that fails to yield to a pedestrian, turns across approaching traffic, or changes lanes into another vehicle raises questions about how its driving system responded. We would investigate whether the maneuver resulted from a safety failure for which Waymo is legally responsible.
- Ignoring known safety problems. A claim could involve leaving a vehicle in service despite warnings that its brakes, sensors, or other safety equipment were malfunctioning. The issue would be whether Waymo knew or reasonably should have discovered the danger and failed to address it.
- Inadequate inspections or maintenance. Worn tires, damaged sensors, or faulty brakes may support a claim if Waymo was responsible for their upkeep. For example, inspection records might show that a necessary brake repair was identified but never completed before the crash.
These are examples of issues to investigate, not findings that Waymo acted negligently. The evidence must connect a specific failure by the company to the injuries you suffered.
A Vehicle Maintenance or Repair Company
A separate business that inspected, serviced, or repaired the vehicle may be responsible for negligent work that contributed to the crash.
For example, a repair company could install brake parts incorrectly or fail to correct a dangerous condition it was hired to fix. We would examine the service records to identify who performed the work and whether that work left the vehicle unsafe.
A Vehicle or Parts Manufacturer
A manufacturer may be liable when a defect in the vehicle’s design or the way a component was made causes your injuries. For example, a brake part that was defective when it left the factory presents a different claim from a properly manufactured part that a repair shop later installed incorrectly.
California’s product-liability rules may allow recovery without proving that the manufacturer was careless. You still need evidence of a qualifying defect and proof that it contributed to your injuries; a malfunction alone does not establish every requirement of the claim.
Another Driver or Their Employer
Another driver may be responsible for causing the collision, even when a Waymo vehicle is involved. For example, a motorist who runs a red light and strikes a Waymo may be liable for injuries to Waymo’s passengers. The investigation should assess the driver’s actions rather than assume the self-driving technology caused the crash.
An employer may also bear responsibility if the driver caused the collision while carrying out job duties, such as making a delivery.
How Do I Preserve Evidence in a Waymo Self-Driving Car Accident?
Save the records you can collect safely, and have a Lancaster car accident lawyer request preservation of the vehicle data and company records you cannot access yourself. Your medical needs come first, so call 911 for injuries and document the scene only when it is safe to do so.
- Photograph the scene and collect witness information. Capture vehicle damage, license plates, road conditions, and visible injuries. Record witnesses’ names and contact details so our investigators can follow up about what they saw.
- Keep your medical records. Keep copies of your treatment records, including examination notes, test results, and discharge instructions from facilities such as Antelope Valley Medical Center. These records document your injuries, the care you received, and any recommended follow-up treatment.
- Save your communications with Waymo. Riders can contact Support through the app, while other road users involved in the collision can exchange information via Waymo’s online collision form or the QR code on either front door. Keep the insurance information and correspondence related to your collision.
- Complete required DMV reporting. Involved drivers generally must submit an SR-1 within 10 days if anyone is injured or killed, or damage exceeds $1,000 to any one person’s property. Keep a copy, and remember that a police or insurance report does not replace this filing.
The vehicle’s electronic records require separate attention. California law requires that sensor data from autonomous-technology systems covering at least 30 seconds before a collision in autonomous mode be captured and preserved for 3 years.
Our attorneys can send preservation requests identifying available camera footage, braking and steering records, relevant software information, maintenance documents, and communications about the incident.
You do not need to gather everything before contacting us. Bring what you have, and we can identify missing records, follow up with witnesses, and evaluate whether technical analysis is needed to explain the collision.
Get a Lancaster Car Accident Lawyer on Your Side After a Waymo Crash
At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we help you evaluate settlement offers with your medical needs, lost income, and long-term recovery in mind.
When negotiations fall short, we explain what pursuing a lawsuit would involve and whether it makes sense for your case. You receive candid advice and support, but the decision to accept a settlement remains yours.
Medical bills and missed paychecks should not put legal help out of reach. You pay no attorney fees up front, and we collect a fee only if we recover compensation for you.
Contact our team about your Waymo self-driving car accident. Whether you are facing a disputed claim, considering an offer, or unsure where to begin, we want to hear what concerns you most and explain your options.
Legal References Used to Inform This Page
To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:
- Autonomous Vehicles, California Vehicle Code § 38750 (2025).
- Accident Reports, California Vehicle Code § 16000 (2016).
- Waymo, “Report a collision.”
- Waymo Help, “What to do after a collision.”
