• A jury awarded $49.5 million to the family of Samya Stumo, a victim of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash.
• The compensation includes $21 million for her suffering, $16.5 million for loss of companionship, and $12 million for grief.
• Boeing has faced numerous lawsuits related to the two fatal crashes of the 737 MAX model.
• The company has settled around 90% of related civil lawsuits and avoided criminal prosecution through agreements.
• Attorneys for Stumo's family will pursue reinstatement of punitive damages claims against Boeing executives.

A jury in Chicago awarded $49.5 million in damages on Wednesday to the family of Samya Stumo, who tragically died in the March 2019 crash of a Boeing 737 MAX operated by Ethiopian Airlines. This verdict represents one of the last remaining legal actions connected to two crashes that claimed a total of 346 lives within five months of each other, according to CBS News, Reuters, NPR, and India Times.

The jury deliberated for about two hours, ultimately awarding compensation divided into three categories: $21 million for Stumo’s experience during the flight, $16.5 million for her family’s loss of companionship, and $12 million for their grief following her death. Boeing did not contest liability in this case, as the trial only focused on the amount of damages owed, according to Reuters, NPR, and India Times.

Boeing previously admitted that the aircraft was negligent and cited failures in its anti-stall software that contributed to both the Ethiopian crash and an earlier crash in Indonesia. Following the legal settlements, the company has resolved nearly all claims against it but still faces ongoing cases, prompting Stumo’s family to continue pursuing punitive damages against Boeing executives as part of their appeal, as per CBS News and NPR.

Since the crashes, Boeing has entered into a non-prosecution agreement, paying significant fines and agreeing to implement better safety measures while avoiding criminal charges. A federal judge dismissed a related fraud case against the company in 2025 as part of this agreement, according to Reuters and India Times.