The Boeing Company

(New York Stock Exchange)
Back to all articles
Very Bearish -75

Victim's lawyer alleges Boeing was 'negligent' in 2019 Ethiopian crash

AI-generated analysis

πŸ“‰ Boeing is accused of negligence in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people on a 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

βš–οΈ Shanin Specter, representing victim Samya Stumo's family, told a Chicago federal court that Boeing's aircraft was unsafe and caused the deaths.

πŸ—½ Nearly all other civil lawsuits regarding the crash have been settled out of court, but the Stumo family has not reached an agreement.

πŸ’” Michael Stumo, the father of the victim, testified in court about the emotional impact of losing his daughter Samya and described his grief.

πŸŽ“ The deceased Samya Stumo was described as a gifted young woman who taught herself to read at age three and studied public health.

✈️ The Ethiopian Airlines crash occurred on March 10, 2019, shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, following the Lion Air crash in Indonesia about four and a half months earlier.

πŸ“‰ Together, the two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes claimed a total of 346 lives.

βš™οΈ Boeing acknowledged that anti-stall software was implicated in both accidents and expressed sorrow over the incidents.

πŸ’° Boeing's attorney admitted that the family deserves "significant financial compensation" but disagreed on the exact amount.

πŸ‘¨β€βš–οΈ The Stumo trial is scheduled to continue until May 15 unless an out-of-court settlement is reached.

πŸ›οΈ Samya's parents are advocating for tougher government aviation safety oversight after their daughter's death.

πŸ—³οΈ Nadia Milleron, the victim's mother, is running for Congress as an independent candidate and is Ralph Nader's niece.

🏒 Michael Stumo works on economic policy for the Office of Management and Budget and previously led a manufacturing advocacy group.

Risk Factors
  • Boeing faces ongoing legal liability from 155 civil lawsuits filed by victims' relatives regarding negligence and unsafe aircraft design.
  • The Stumo family trial against Boeing began with no out-of-court settlement reached, risking a lengthy legal battle expected to continue until May 15.
  • Averaging more than $28 million per jury award, previous settlements or trials have already exposed Boeing to substantial financial damages for the two crashes claiming 346 lives total.
  • Victims' families are advocating for stricter government aviation safety oversight, signaling potential future regulatory scrutiny and additional compliance costs for Boeing.
  • The Stumo trial highlights ongoing reputational damage as the company is publicly accused of causing preventable deaths due to negligent practices.
Full Analysis
A federal civil trial in Chicago has begun regarding Boeing's liability for the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people. Shanin Specter, representing the family of victim Samya Stumo, argued before a jury that Boeing was negligent and provided unsafe aircraft that directly caused the accident. Stumo was 24 years old when she boarded flight ET302 on March 10, 2019, from Addis Ababa. Her father, Michael Stumo, testified in open court about the profound grief his family has suffered since her death and recalled how they lost another son earlier to cancer. The trial marked a rare instance of an out-of-court settlement failure among the 155 lawsuits filed following the crash, which preceded a Lion Air accident four months later that together claimed 346 lives. Boeing's legal team acknowledged the sorrow associated with the incidents and agreed that significant financial compensation was appropriate for the victims' families but disputed the specific amount requested. Company attorney Dan Webb noted that his current arguments mirror those made in November during a previous trial, where a jury awarded $28.45 million to the widower of another victim. While Boeing admitted anti-stall software issues were implicated in both accidents, the Stumo family's lawsuit is proceeding toward a potential verdict expected by May 15 unless an settlement is reached later. The victim's parents have publicly advocated for stricter government safety oversight after their daughter's death, and her mother is running for Congress as an independent candidate.