US aviation giant Boing reached a settlement on Friday with a Canadian man whose family was killed in a 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia, avoiding the federal trial in connection with the deadly event set to begin on Monday, reported news agency AP.
A jury trial in Chicago’s federal court was set to determine the compensation owed to Paul Njoroge, whose entire family perished in March 2019 when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed en route to their hometown in Kenya. The Boeing aircraft malfunctioned shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 passengers on board.
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Njoroge, 41, was set to testify in a Chicago federal court about the emotional and psychological trauma he has endured since the tragedy. He has been unable to return to his family home in Toronto, citing the overwhelming grief, and has struggled to find employment. According to his legal team, he also faced criticism from relatives for not traveling with his wife and children at the time of the crash.
“He’s got complicated grief and sorrow and his own emotional stress,” said Njoroge’s attorney, Robert Clifford. “He’s haunted by nightmares and the loss of his wife and children.”
A spokesperson for Clifford Law Offices, the firm representing Njoroge, confirmed that “the case has settled for a confidential amount.”
Robert Clifford, a senior partner at the firm, added: “The aviation team at Clifford Law Offices has been working round-the-clock in preparation for trial, but the mediator was able to help the parties come to an agreement on behalf of Paul Njoroge.”
Njoroge also lost his mother-in-law in the crash, making the tragedy even more devastating for the family.
Legal proceedings in the lawsuit filed were not expected to delve into the technical aspects of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Boeing’s bestselling jet that has remained at the centre of controversy since two fatal crashes within five months. The crashes, one in Ethiopia in 2019 and another in Indonesia in 2018, claimed the lives of 346 people, including passengers and crew members.
In 2021, Chicago-based Boeing acknowledged responsibility for the Ethiopian Airlines crash through a legal agreement with victims’ families. The deal allowed families to file individual claims in US courts, bypassing legal systems in their home countries. Citizens from 35 countries were among the deceased. While many families have since reached settlements, the financial terms of those agreements have not been disclosed publicly.
The Ethiopian Airlines jet, en route to Nairobi, crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, plunging into a barren field. Investigators concluded that both the Ethiopian and Indonesian disasters were caused by a malfunctioning system known as MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System). The software, which was triggered by faulty sensor data, repeatedly forced the aircraft’s nose downward, ultimately overwhelming the pilots.
Following the Ethiopian crash, Boeing’s 737 MAX fleet was grounded worldwide. The aircraft was only cleared for service after Boeing redesigned the flawed system.
Earlier this year, Boeing reached a separate agreement with the US department of justice to avoid criminal prosecution related to the two deadly crashes.
A jury trial in Chicago’s federal court was set to determine the compensation owed to Paul Njoroge, whose entire family perished in March 2019 when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed en route to their hometown in Kenya. The Boeing aircraft malfunctioned shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 passengers on board.
Video
Njoroge, 41, was set to testify in a Chicago federal court about the emotional and psychological trauma he has endured since the tragedy. He has been unable to return to his family home in Toronto, citing the overwhelming grief, and has struggled to find employment. According to his legal team, he also faced criticism from relatives for not traveling with his wife and children at the time of the crash.
“He’s got complicated grief and sorrow and his own emotional stress,” said Njoroge’s attorney, Robert Clifford. “He’s haunted by nightmares and the loss of his wife and children.”
A spokesperson for Clifford Law Offices, the firm representing Njoroge, confirmed that “the case has settled for a confidential amount.”
Robert Clifford, a senior partner at the firm, added: “The aviation team at Clifford Law Offices has been working round-the-clock in preparation for trial, but the mediator was able to help the parties come to an agreement on behalf of Paul Njoroge.”
Njoroge also lost his mother-in-law in the crash, making the tragedy even more devastating for the family.
Legal proceedings in the lawsuit filed were not expected to delve into the technical aspects of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Boeing’s bestselling jet that has remained at the centre of controversy since two fatal crashes within five months. The crashes, one in Ethiopia in 2019 and another in Indonesia in 2018, claimed the lives of 346 people, including passengers and crew members.
In 2021, Chicago-based Boeing acknowledged responsibility for the Ethiopian Airlines crash through a legal agreement with victims’ families. The deal allowed families to file individual claims in US courts, bypassing legal systems in their home countries. Citizens from 35 countries were among the deceased. While many families have since reached settlements, the financial terms of those agreements have not been disclosed publicly.
The Ethiopian Airlines jet, en route to Nairobi, crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, plunging into a barren field. Investigators concluded that both the Ethiopian and Indonesian disasters were caused by a malfunctioning system known as MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System). The software, which was triggered by faulty sensor data, repeatedly forced the aircraft’s nose downward, ultimately overwhelming the pilots.
Following the Ethiopian crash, Boeing’s 737 MAX fleet was grounded worldwide. The aircraft was only cleared for service after Boeing redesigned the flawed system.
Earlier this year, Boeing reached a separate agreement with the US department of justice to avoid criminal prosecution related to the two deadly crashes.
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