Boeing settles both cases ahead of jury selection for 737 MAX crash trial

CHICAGO — Boeing has settled two cases ahead of the first civil trial related to the deadly Boeing 737 Max crashes, according to the law firm representing one of the passengers who died aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash in 2019.

The trial was scheduled to take place in a federal courthouse in Chicago with jury selection slated to begin Monday.

The focus of the case was on determining "fair and reasonable compensation" for the families of crash victims after the crash resulted in the deaths of all 157 people on board.

"I'm happy for our client," said Mark Lindquist, the attorney for Amie Belanger, the wife of Darcy Belanger who died aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. "She stood her ground. We are satisfied with the resolution, accountability, and closure."

According to Lindquist, the terms of the settlements are confidential.

The trial was expected to last two weeks, with opening statements centering on the damages Boeing owes to the victims' families.

"Of the 157 people who died in the crash, there are still cases pending for 18 decedents," Lindquist wrote in a press release. "The next trial is set in July of this year."

U.S. Army Captain Antoine Lewis of Chicago and Belanger, a director at PCL Construction, of Denver were both on that fateful Ethiopian Airlines flight in March 2019.

According to attorneys representing both families, Lewis was headed to Africa to research opportunities to start a logistics business and was about to hit his 20-year mark with the military. He leaves behind a wife and two sons.

Belanger was a founding member of an environmental non-profit and flying to the United Nations Environmental Assembly where he was scheduled to speak. He is survived by his wife and both his parents.

“The deepest tragedy of the E302 disaster is that it simply didn’t have to happen, and the devastating loss of Antoine Lewis and 156 other souls was fully preventable," Antonio Romanucci, who represents Lewis' family, said. "This settlement will bring a measure of closure to Lewis’ widow, Yalena Lopez Lewis, but can never make up for this heartbreaking and life-altering loss for his family."

In a statement to KOMO News, Boeing said it has settled more than 90% of claims from two 737 MAX crashes from 2018 and 2019.

"We are deeply sorry to all who lost loved ones on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302," Boeing said in the statement. "We made an upfront commitment to fully and fairly compensate the families and accepted legal responsibility for the accidents."

"We will continue to work to fairly resolve the claims of the family members," Boeing added.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg recently addressed a Senate committee, acknowledging the company's past failures.

Ortberg also defended Boeing's efforts to improve safety, particularly after a blown door plug incident during a 737 Max flight last year.

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"I want to extend my personal condolences for the painful loss on our aircraft and offer my pledge to make the necessary changes so this never happens again," Ortberg said.

Boeing took responsibility for the crashes in an agreement with the families who lost loved ones in 2021. Because Boeing took responsibility, the company said in the statement, the settled cases "focus on the amount of compensation owed."

While court records indicate the settlement in 2021 did not involve monetary compensation to the families, the agreement allowed victims' families to pursue individual claims in U.S. courts instead of their home country, which might have been more difficult.

Boeing argued that because the victims died instantly, the families were not entitled to financial compensation.