Reviewed by Ryan Orsatti, Texas personal injury attorney.
Quick Answer
- After a Waymo passenger accident in San Antonio, get medical help, report the crash, and save the trip receipt, vehicle details, photos, and support messages.
- A driverless ride does not eliminate an injury claim. Responsibility depends on what caused the crash and which people or companies were involved.
- Texas generally gives an injured person two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, but evidence needs attention much sooner and exceptions can change the deadline.
Key Takeaways
- The booking account and trip details help connect an injured passenger to a specific vehicle and event.
- A customer support report and a request to preserve evidence serve different purposes.
- Texas requires qualifying automated vehicles to have a recording device. That does not promise a passenger immediate access to every recording.
- A company’s permission to operate does not decide who caused a particular crash.
- Ask about available medical benefits, but review any release before settling an injury claim.
Ryan Orsatti Law can help injured passengers review the evidence and insurance questions after a driverless ride in San Antonio. The firm offers free consultations in English and Spanish.
What changed when Waymo opened rides to everyone in San Antonio?
Waymo announced on October 14, 2026, that anyone in San Antonio could download its app and request a fully autonomous ride, including service at San Antonio International Airport. That is broader access to an existing service, rather than the first appearance of a Waymo vehicle on local roads.
For a passenger, the practical difference after a crash is immediate: there may be no human driver to hand over an insurance card or explain what happened. A trip from the airport to a downtown hotel can leave an injured visitor dealing with a vehicle, an app, remote support, and another driver’s insurer.
This guide focuses on the passenger’s evidence. The firm’s earlier overview of legal rights after an injury in a Waymo vehicle addresses the broader claim questions.
How long do I have to file a Waymo passenger injury lawsuit?
Texas generally requires a personal injury lawsuit within two years after the claim accrues, usually the injury date in a crash, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003(a). The statute of limitations is the legal deadline for bringing suit.
Exceptions can change that deadline. Do not assume that an open support ticket, an insurance investigation, or settlement talks extend the time to sue. A claim involving a government vehicle or another public entity also needs prompt review for separate notice requirements and immunity issues.
The evidence timetable is shorter than the lawsuit timetable. Nearby cameras, phone files, vehicle records, and witness memories need attention while the event is still fresh. Do not wait for an insurer to accept fault before asking a lawyer about preservation.
What should I do immediately after a Waymo passenger accident?
Put safety and medical care first, then document the trip and report the collision when you can safely do so. Waymo’s collision guidance tells injured riders to call 911 and says support can assist.
- Get help and assess your surroundings. Tell emergency dispatch where you are and that the vehicle has no human driver. Follow first responder instructions. Do not step into traffic to take pictures.
- Contact Waymo support. Use the Support button on the passenger screen or the app’s Help tab. State that a collision occurred, describe any injury, and request the incident reference and insurance contact.
- Save the ride details. Capture the trip date, pickup and destination, route if shown, receipt, vehicle identifier, and booking account. If someone else booked the ride, ask that person to preserve the account records too.
- Photograph what is safe to photograph. Include the plate, vehicle damage, your seating position, other vehicles, street signs, signals, lane markings, and nearby cameras. Keep the original files.
- Identify witnesses and the police event. Get names and contact details where possible. Ask for the responding agency and incident number. A support reference is separate from a police incident number.
- Document care and symptoms. Tell the treating clinician how your body moved, what hurt, and when symptoms began. Save discharge instructions, bills, work restrictions, and follow-up records.
- Preserve communications. Keep chats, emails, voicemails, photos, receipts, and claim numbers together. Do not delete the trip history or edit the only copy of a video.
Waymo says a vehicle may move after a collision to reach a safer stopping place. If that happens, record where the impact occurred and where the vehicle stopped. Movement by itself does not establish that the vehicle fled, and a passenger should not interfere with the vehicle to collect evidence.
Which records should I save, and which should a lawyer request?
Save records you already control and ask for prompt preservation of relevant records held by others. Preservation means keeping evidence from being lost or changed; it does not mean the company has agreed to hand it over.
| Record | Passenger’s first step | What further review may require |
|---|---|---|
| Trip and receipt | Save screenshots and original receipt | Match account, vehicle, time, and route |
| Support contact | Keep chats and incident reference | Request relevant calls and incident records |
| Vehicle recordings and data | Identify the vehicle and crash location | Targeted preservation and lawful access process |
| Outside video and witnesses | Note cameras and witness contacts safely | Prompt requests to separate record holders |
| Medical and work records | Keep visit records and missed-work proof | Connect injuries and losses to the event |
| Lawsuit timing | Record the injury date | Generally two years under Section 16.003(a); check exceptions |
Texas Transportation Code Section 545.455(b)(2) requires a manufacturer-installed recording device for covered automated operation. A lawyer should determine what the specific vehicle recorded and who controls it. The law’s device requirement does not establish that every sensor stream was saved or that a particular video remains available.
A tailored request may seek available camera footage, movement and braking data, system status, the relevant software version, support communications, and records of the response to the incident. Those are investigation targets, not claims that every category exists or is automatically discoverable. The request should identify the vehicle, trip, time zone, crash location, and a reasonable period before and after the event.
Attorney Insight: Start with the passenger’s timeline before accepting either company’s explanation. A receipt may show the trip ended after the impact. A support call may identify when an injury was first reported. Comparing those records with outside video can reveal gaps that a single crash summary misses.
Make a simple event sheet for the lawyer: impact location, approximate time, seat occupied, direction of travel, support contact, and first medical visit. Mark uncertain details as uncertain. A careful account is more useful than a confident guess about what the software detected.
Who can be responsible when there is no human driver?
Responsibility depends on the cause of the crash, rather than the presence of a driver in the front seat. Another motorist, the vehicle operator or owner, a maintenance provider, or a party responsible for a proven defect may require investigation. Naming a company is not enough; the evidence must support the claim against that party.
Under Texas Transportation Code Section 545.454, the engaged automated driving system is the operator for traffic-law compliance. The section directs traffic citations to the vehicle owner or, when applicable, the authorization holder. That citation rule does not automatically decide civil liability, meaning legal responsibility for an injured person’s losses.
The strongest contrary explanation may be that another driver caused the impact while the Waymo vehicle responded reasonably. An insurer may also dispute whether the crash caused a claimed condition. Preserve evidence that can test those positions instead of assuming a driverless vehicle must have malfunctioned.
Texas proportionate responsibility rules divide fault among the people or entities involved. In covered cases, Section 33.001 bars recovery when the claimant is more than 50 percent responsible; Section 33.012(a) reduces damages by the claimant’s percentage when recovery is allowed. Being a passenger does not by itself make a person responsible for the vehicle’s driving.
Does Texas authorization mean the vehicle was safe in my crash?
No. Authorization permits commercial operation under the regulatory program; it does not resolve the facts of an individual collision. TxDMV states that companies operating automated vehicles commercially on or after May 28, 2026, must maintain active authorization.
Section 545.455 also sets requirements for traffic-law capability, a recording device, applicable federal compliance, and the ability to reach a stable stopped condition after certain system failures. Section 545.457 requires compliance with Texas collision duties through the vehicle, a person acting for it, or a human driver. An empty driver’s seat does not erase those duties.
A serious public safety concern can also be reported through TxDMV’s automated vehicle complaint process. That regulatory report serves a different purpose from pursuing compensation for injuries. Keep copies of both kinds of reports.
Will Waymo pay my medical bills or settle my injury claim?
Available benefits and responsibility for an injury settlement require separate review. Waymo states that riders have limited medical coverage without regard to fault or other coverage. Ask for the actual benefit terms, limits, eligibility requirements, and submission instructions.
Attorney Insight: Keep each payment tied to its purpose. A ride refund, a medical benefit, and payment for a bodily injury release can involve different terms. Before accepting a final agreement, compare its wording with the injuries still being evaluated and the parties whose conduct remains under review.
Texas Transportation Code Section 545.455(b)(6) requires liability coverage or self-insurance at the level applicable to the vehicle’s type and use. That provision alone does not establish the policy limit available for your ride. Obtain the relevant coverage information rather than assuming a dollar figure from an ordinary rideshare claim.
A fare refund addresses the cost of the ride. Read any accompanying agreement carefully before assuming it also resolves, or leaves untouched, an injury claim. A release is an agreement giving up specified claims, and its wording matters. Save the booking terms and any later agreement presented to you.
If an adjuster asks for a recorded account, identify whose insurer is calling and which claim is involved. The firm’s guide to a recorded statement request after a Texas crash explains how to prepare without guessing or minimizing symptoms.
How can Ryan Orsatti Law help an injured passenger?
Ryan Orsatti Law reviews crash evidence, medical records, and insurance issues for injured people in San Antonio, Bexar County, and across Texas. In a driverless passenger case, the review should connect the trip records to the vehicle evidence, examine other drivers’ conduct, identify the proper parties, and address deadlines.
The firm’s San Antonio car accident practice handles injury claims arising from vehicle collisions. Its rideshare accident practice also reviews passenger claims, with the coverage analysis tailored to the actual service and trip. If you were injured during a Waymo ride, call 210-525-1200 for a free consultation. Consultations are available in English and Spanish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I am injured while riding in a Waymo?
Get medical help and report the collision, then save the trip and incident records. Waymo’s published guidance provides ways to reach support and exchange collision information. An injury claim still requires review of how the event happened, which coverage applies, and the medical evidence. A support ticket alone does not answer those questions.
Can I get the video from my Waymo accident?
You can request preservation and access, but immediate release of every recording is not guaranteed. Texas requires a recording device for covered automated operation, which does not establish what footage exists in your case. A lawyer can identify the relevant records and consider the lawful process needed to obtain them, including any privacy or confidentiality issues.
Who do I contact if a Waymo hits my car?
Call 911 if anyone is injured, then exchange information when safe. Waymo’s collision guide lists its collision phone line, an online form, front-door QR codes, and its risk and insurance contact as options. Record the plate and scene independently. Follow police instructions rather than relying only on the company’s roadside response.
Does reporting the crash in the app protect my lawsuit deadline?
Do not rely on an app report to protect the lawsuit deadline. Texas generally requires a personal injury lawsuit within two years after the claim accrues under Section 16.003(a), with exceptions that need individual review. Save the report, but separately address the filing deadline and preservation of records controlled by the company or other parties.
Should I wait for Waymo to finish investigating before calling a lawyer?
No. You can seek medical care and discuss preservation while a company investigation continues. A lawyer’s early review can identify other vehicles, outside cameras, insurance questions, and deadlines. You do not need a final fault decision to ask for a consultation, and you should describe uncertain facts honestly instead of waiting to reconstruct them later.
Source Notes
These primary sources support the launch details, company procedures, and Texas rules discussed above. Company guidance describes Waymo’s stated process; it does not decide fault in an individual claim.
- Waymo’s October 14, 2026 announcement: public ride access in San Antonio and airport service.
- Waymo: What to do after a collision and Contact Support: collision reporting, support channels, information exchange, movement to a safe stopping point, and stated limited medical coverage.
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Section 16.003(a): general personal injury filing period.
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Section 33.001 and Section 33.012(a): claimant responsibility and reduction of damages.
- Tex. Transp. Code Section 545.454, Section 545.455(b)-(c), and Section 545.457: operator and citation rules, operation requirements, and collision duties.
- TxDMV Automated Vehicles Regulatory Program: authorization enforcement date and public safety complaint process.
Ryan Orsatti Law
4634 De Zavala Rd, San Antonio, TX 78249
Phone: 210-525-1200
ryanorsattilaw.com
This blog is for informational purposes only, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future results.
Hurt in an accident in San Antonio? Learn how a San Antonio personal injury lawyer can help with your claim. Call 210-525-1200 or request a free consultation.
The firm works on a contingency fee. You pay nothing unless the firm recovers money for you, and that covers case expenses as well as the fee: if there is no recovery, you owe no attorney's fee and no case expenses. Ask for the fee agreement and read the fee and expense section before you sign anything.
Related San Antonio legal resources
Primary legal and public-data sources
- TxDOT: Texas crash reports, data, and statistics
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33: proportionate responsibility
Ryan Orsatti Law
4634 De Zavala Road, San Antonio, TX 78249
General reference links. Consult each source for its current text.