A Chicago jury awarded $49.5 million in damages to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old American victim of the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash. The verdict was announced on Wednesday after a brief deliberation lasting about two hours, as stated in court documents.
The case was unique as most lawsuits related to the crash were settled out of court, but Stumo’s family was unable to reach an agreement with Boeing before the trial began on Monday.
We are deeply sorry to all who lost loved ones on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302,Boeing stated.While we have resolved nearly all of these claims through settlements, families are entitled to pursue their claims through the court process, and we respect their right to do so.
Samya Stumo perished on her way to Kenya for her first assignment with ThinkWell, an organization focused on improving healthcare access in Africa and Asia. The Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa, leading to the tragic loss of all 157 people on board.
This disaster occurred following another crash involving a Lion Air flight in Indonesia, where the same Boeing 737 MAX 8 model led to the deaths of 189 individuals. As a result, Boeing grounded all 737 MAX planes for nearly two years to carry out necessary system upgrades.
Boeing faced legal challenges, including a criminal fraud charge related to these crashes. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop the case after Boeing committed to more than $1.1 billion in fines and $445 million in compensation for the victims’ families. Boeing also pledged to enhance its internal safety and quality protocols, which allowed the company to avoid criminal prosecution for misleading regulators about the 737 MAX.
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