The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has ruled that Boeing must offer settlements in every remaining lawsuit pertaining to the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crash.
According to legal publication Law360, trying Boeing’s approach to resolving the 46 outstanding cases is appropriate, said the Illinois federal judge, who has given the American manufacturer an opportunity to offer settlements. A previous three rounds of trials at the plaintiff’s suggestion have all ended in settlements, adds Law360.
Noting that although some families may want to continue a trial regardless of a settlement offer, “we need to figure out who they are” added US District Judge Jorge Alonso, noting that a two-month window during which parties could negotiate deals through a mediator would help focus on a resolution. Boeing must present its offers within seven days, from which point plaintiffs will have 10 further days to respond.
Flight 302 crashed in March 2019, killing all 157 people aboard. In June 2023, the number of outstanding cases yet to reach a compensation settlement was reduced down to 68, and Boeing settled a further 14 non-trial cases in July. Although Boeing accepted liability for the crash in 2021, it came with the stipulation that bereaved families could not bring punitive damages claims against the manufacturer.