A Chicago jury has awarded $49.5 million in damages to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old American who died in the March 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. The jury reached its decision after approximately two hours of deliberation during a trial that began earlier in the week.
Stumo’s family filed the civil lawsuit after failing to reach a settlement agreement with Boeing, the manufacturer of the 737 MAX aircraft involved in the crash. Nearly all other lawsuits related to the tragedy had been resolved through settlements before reaching trial.
Samya Stumo was traveling to Kenya for her first assignment with ThinkWell, a public health non-governmental organization focused on improving healthcare access in Africa and Asia. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board.
The Ethiopian Airlines crash was the second fatal accident involving a Boeing 737 MAX 8 in less than five months. The first occurred in October 2018, when Lion Air Flight 610 crashed in Indonesia, killing 189 passengers and crew. These two crashes prompted a global grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet for nearly two years while software and safety upgrades were implemented.
Boeing has faced significant legal and financial consequences due to the crashes. In a federal settlement, the company agreed to pay more than $1.1 billion in fines and an additional $445 million in compensation to victims’ families. The settlement also required Boeing to improve internal safety and quality controls. Prosecutors agreed to drop criminal fraud charges alleging Boeing misled U.S. regulators about the 737 MAX’s safety before the crashes.
In response to the jury’s verdict, Boeing issued a statement expressing deep sorrow for those affected by both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes. The company reaffirmed its respect for families’ rights to pursue claims through the legal process, noting that most claims had already been settled.
Why it matters
The $49.5 million verdict underscores ongoing accountability efforts related to the Boeing 737 MAX crashes, which exposed critical safety flaws in the aircraft’s design and regulatory oversight. The ruling highlights the financial and reputational impact on Boeing, even as the company works to restore trust in the 737 MAX model worldwide.
Background
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane was grounded globally after two fatal crashes within months raised concerns about the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), a software feature that contributed to loss of control. Boeing’s $1.5 billion legal settlement resolved criminal and civil claims without admitting wrongdoing but required reforms to prevent future incidents.
Sources
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