US Jury Awards $49.5 Million to Family of Boeing 737 MAX Crash Victim

A US jury in Chicago has awarded $49.5 million in damages to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old American who died in the March 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash. This verdict marks a rare trial outcome, as nearly all other civil lawsuits related to the two deadly crashes involving the aircraft were settled out of court. The Stumo family could not reach an agreement with Boeing prior to the trial. During proceedings, the family’s lawyer argued that Boeing was negligent and produced an unsafe aircraft, citing the anti-stall software implicated in both the Ethiopian and earlier Lion Air disasters, which collectively claimed 346 lives. Boeing expressed sorrow for the losses but maintained that its only disagreement with the family concerned the compensation amount. The company recently had criminal charges dropped in 2025 as part of a separate agreement. This case follows a November verdict awarding $28.45 million to another victim's widower, highlighting ongoing legal repercussions for the aviation giant despite most claims being resolved through settlements.