Settlements Reached in Several Boeing Max Lawsuits

Boeing max lawsuit

DASSAS- Longisland.news.com writes that Boeing settled some of the lawsuits related to two crashes involving its 737 Max planes. The company settled four of the cases filed by family members of those killed in the Lion Air Max plane crash that took place in October of last year in Indonesia. None other cases filed related to the same crash settled in Chicago last week.

The Lion Air crash led to over 50 lawsuits, and the company is facing another 100 lawsuits stemming from the Ethiopian Airlines Max crash that occurred last March.

A spokesperson for Boeing says that the company is working with a mediator and is pleased with the process. Through the mediator, Boeing says it has successfully resolved several claims and fairly compensated family members who lost loved ones in the crashes.

The settlement amounts remain confidential, but Boeing says that it paid out over $7 million to victims’ families from a fund it set up two months ago.

Some have criticized Boeing for its legal strategies. The company has made several remarks indicating that they could move the Lion Air Max lawsuits to Indonesia because of convenience because that is where most of the parties reside. If Boeing were able to move the matter to Indonesia successfully, the plaintiffs would likely recover far smaller awards than they can expect in the United States. Some have said that this threat is making it easier for the company to seek favorable settlements.

However, some attorneys familiar with the matter say the company’s argument is not that strong because there are other reasons for the case to be heard in the United States, including that the evidence is primarily in the United States, and the United States has a vested interest in ensuring the company’s planes are safely manufactured and designed.