Practice Areas/Self-Driving Car Accidents
Waymo and Self-Driving Car Accident Lawyer
No One Was Driving. Someone Still Has to Pay.
If a driverless Waymo or a car running on Autopilot hit you anywhere in Southern California, the company behind that technology may be responsible for your injuries, along with any human driver involved. A Los Angeles Waymo accident lawyer at Pyramid Legal moves fast to lock down the vehicle’s crash data, names every party at fault, and fights for the full amount you are owed.
Free Case Evaluation
24/7 Direct Access to an Attorney
No Fees Unless We Win
Who Is Liable When a Self-Driving Car Crashes?
It depends on what was in control of the car. A Tesla on Autopilot and a Waymo with an empty driver’s seat are very different vehicles under the law, and the answer to who pays changes with them.
Driver-assistance cars (Tesla Autopilot, Full Self-Driving (Supervised), and similar systems)
A human driver who has to stay alert
The driver, and the carmaker if the system was defective or its warnings fell short
Fully driverless robotaxis (Waymo)
The company’s self-driving system, with no one behind the wheel
The company operating the vehicle, plus any parts or software supplier
Test vehicles with a safety driver
The safety driver and the system together
The testing company and the safety driver
More than one party can share the blame. Under California’s comparative fault rule, each party pays its share, so a human driver who also made a mistake can be part of the same claim.
Carmakers are not out of reach either. In August 2025, a federal jury in Miami found Tesla one-third responsible for a 2019 Autopilot crash and returned a $243 million verdict. In February 2026, the judge refused to overturn it. Tesla has said it will appeal.
Waymo Accidents in Los Angeles
Waymo runs a driverless ride service across Los Angeles, and in late October 2026 it expanded into the South Bay, including Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance. You may have a claim if a Waymo hit your car, hit you while you were walking or riding a bike or scooter, or crashed while you were riding in it.
If you were a passenger, know that robotaxi apps come with rider terms, and those terms can affect where and how a claim is heard. We review them at the start of every case.
Common Causes of Self-Driving Car Accidents
- Software that misreads a pedestrian, cyclist, or scooter rider
- Sudden braking or stalling in traffic
- Mistakes at intersections, unprotected left turns, and construction zones
- Camera or sensor failures
- Drivers who trust Autopilot or a similar feature too much and stop watching the road
Injuries From Self-Driving Car Accidents
- Head and brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord and back injuries
- Broken bones that need surgery
- Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries
- Serious injuries to pedestrians and cyclists hit at street speed
Pyramid Legal fights for maximum recovery for every client, including the cost of care you will need after the case is over.
The company already has the crash data. Make sure it works for you, not against you.
The Evidence That Wins These Cases
A self-driving car records far more than an ordinary car. Cameras, lidar, and radar capture the moments before the crash, and the company keeps that data. The sooner we send a formal demand to preserve it, the harder it is for any of it to go missing.
California also requires a paper trail. Companies testing self-driving cars must report any crash that causes injury, death, or property damage to the DMV within 10 days. And since July 1, 2026, a state law known as AB 1777 lets police issue notices of noncompliance to driverless car companies when their vehicles break traffic laws. These records can help prove what the vehicle did and whether the company knew about the problem.
How Pyramid Legal Can Help
We handle every part of your self-driving car accident claim so you can focus on getting better:
Locking Down the Data
We send preservation demands right away so video and sensor records are kept, not overwritten.
Finding Every Responsible Party
The operator, the carmaker, software and parts suppliers, and any human driver. Each one may carry its own insurance.
Handling Corporate Insurers
We take on the company's insurers and lawyers so you never have to deal with them yourself.
Calculating What You Are Owed
Medical bills, future care, lost income, and pain and suffering, based on what your injury will really cost.
Filing a Lawsuit if Needed
We file before the deadline and prepare every case for trial, so the company knows we are not bluffing.
Hurt in a crash with an ordinary driver instead? See our car accident lawyers.
For more on how carmakers can share the blame, read who is liable in an electric vehicle crash.
Self-Driving Car Accident FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Have one that is not here? Ask us. The case evaluation is free.
Can I sue Waymo if a Waymo hit me?
Yes. When a driverless Waymo causes a crash, the claim is brought against the company that operates the vehicle, because no human was driving. The vehicle’s own video and sensor data often show exactly what happened, which is why it needs to be preserved quickly.
If a Tesla on Autopilot hit me, who do I file a claim against?
Usually the Tesla driver’s auto insurance comes first, because Tesla describes Autopilot as a feature that needs an attentive driver. If the system failed or its warnings were inadequate, Tesla may share the blame through a product liability claim, which is a claim against the maker of a defective product.
I was riding in a Waymo when it crashed. Do I have a claim?
Yes. A passenger can bring a claim against whichever party caused the crash, whether that is Waymo or the driver of another car. The rider terms you accepted in the app can affect how the claim is handled, so have a lawyer review them early.
How long do I have to file a self-driving car accident claim in California?
Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1). If a city vehicle or a dangerous public road was involved, a written government claim is due within six months (Government Code 911.2). Missing either deadline usually ends the case, so do not wait.
How much does it cost to hire Pyramid Legal for a self-driving car case?
Nothing up front. The case evaluation is free, you pay no fees unless we win, and you get 24/7 direct access to an attorney while your case is open.
Get a Free Case Evaluation for Your Self-Driving Car Accident
If a Waymo, a Tesla on Autopilot, or any automated vehicle injured you in Los Angeles, Pasadena, or anywhere in Southern California, the company is already building its side of the story. Start building yours. Call 818-946-0763 or Get a Free Case Evaluation.
Pasadena office
1055 E Colorado Blvd, Suite 500
Pasadena, CA 91106
Los Angeles office
500 S Grand Ave, Suite 1610
Los Angeles, CA 90071
