• A Chicago jury awarded $49.5 million to the family of Samya Stumo, who died in the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash.
• The award includes $21 million for Stumo's experience, $16.5 million for loss of companionship, and $12 million for grief.
• Boeing has settled most lawsuits but faces ongoing litigation related to the crashes.

A federal jury in Chicago awarded $49.5 million on Wednesday to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old who perished in the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crash in March 2019. This verdict is one of the last from the series of civil cases following two fatal crashes, which together killed 346 people in less than a year. Stumo was on her way to Kenya for her first assignment with an NGO when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Boeing has publicly stated, “We are deeply sorry to all who lost loved ones” in these incidents, asserting their respect for the families’ pursuit of justice through the court process, while acknowledging that nearly all claims have been settled outside of court, according to CBS News, Reuters, and NPR.

During the jury's deliberation, they allocated damages of $21 million to account for Stumo's experience on the flight, $16.5 million for the family's loss of companionship, and $12 million for their grief, emphasizing the personal impact of the tragedy. This is only the second jury verdict linked to the crash, as in November a separate case awarded over $28 million to the family of another victim who also perished during the incident. The Stumo family lawyers indicated plans to appeal for punitive damages against Boeing executives, after initial punitive claims were dismissed, according to Reuters, and NPR.

Boeing has faced extensive legal challenges arising from the deadly 737 MAX crashes, which led to significant reforms in safety protocols following investigations into their practices. A non-prosecution agreement allowed Boeing to avoid a criminal trial, albeit with significant financial penalties and obligations enacted to enhance safety measures within the company. The Boeing statement expressed that while many claims have been settled, the company respects the legal process for those who seek to pursue their cases in court, according to CBS News and Reuters.