Boeing Settles Two Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Boeing settled with the families of two victims less than a day before jury selection was supposed to take place. The cases—Belanger v. Boeing and Lewis v. Boeing—were filed on behalf of two families who lost loved ones on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March 2019 aboard a 737 Max 8. In total, 157 people died including the named plaintiffs when the plane crashed only minutes after it took off from Addis Ababa airport. The terms of the settlement are confidential. However, there are cases pending against Boeing that were filed on behalf of 18 other families. Another trial stemming from the crash is scheduled for July. Boeing is also facing a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice.

An investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines crash confirmed that Boing’s MCAS software played a significant role in the crash. According to the investigation, an error in the flight program caused the plane’s nose to repeatedly dive.

Investigations also found that the pilots were inadequately trained on the MCAS program. These same conclusions were issued for the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash in the Java Sea that killed 181 people on board. The crashes prompted a worldwide grounding of all 737 Max 8 planes for nearly two years.

Airplane crash lawsuits

Airplane crashes have been occurring more frequently recently and are making national headlines on a routine basis. Several personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits have emerged from these crashes and families are alleging that companies like Boeing are negligent in designing and manufacturing planes. In other cases, the airlines are sued directly for failing to maintain the planes.

For example, the family of a man who was killed on Jan. 29 when a U.S. military helicopter and an American Airlines flight collided near Washington D.C. has filed legal claims against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Army. The claims were filed on behalf of the widow and children of a 40-year-old decedent who lost his life in the collision.

The crash took place on the night of Jan. 29, when a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 collided near Ronald Reagan National Airport, causing both the plane and the helicopter to crash into the Potomac River killing everyone on board both aircraft. Attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the crash was 100% preventable.

A press release states that the $250 million claims are directed against multiple government agencies. According to the press release the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that staffing in the tower of air traffic controllers was “not normal” at the time of the crash and that there were communication lapses between air traffic controllers and the aircraft.

Talk to an Oakland, CA Personal Injury Attorney Today 

Venardi Zurada represents the interests of plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits filed against negligent defendants. We serve the Bay Area from our office locations in Oakland and Walnut Creek. Call our Oakland personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your lawsuit right away.

Sources:

kuow.org/stories/boeing-settles-wrongful-death-lawsuits-ethiopia-crash

cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/delta-toronto-plane-crash-lawsuit/