American aerospace giant Boeing is set to appear in a federal court in Chicago on Monday in a fresh legal battle tied to the fatal 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia, as the family of a young aid worker pushes for accountability.
The lawsuit, filed over the 2019 crash involving Ethiopian Airlines, is expected to proceed to trial barring any last-minute settlement.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday and continue into Tuesday, with opening arguments likely to commence on Wednesday.
At the centre of the case is Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old American NGO worker who was among the 157 people killed when the aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
She had been travelling to Kenya for her first assignment with ThinkWell, a public health organisation focused on expanding healthcare access across Africa and Asia.
The tragedy followed a similar disaster involving Lion Air in October 2018, bringing the total death toll from both 737 MAX crashes to 346.
Boeing previously acknowledged that flaws in its anti-stall flight control system played a role in both incidents.
The company has since faced a wave of legal actions, with about 155 civil lawsuits filed over the crashes.
While most have been settled, a handful—including the Stumo family’s case—have proceeded to trial to determine compensation for victims’ families.
Unlike criminal proceedings, the current case is focused on financial damages rather than liability, though it continues to spotlight broader concerns about aviation safety and corporate accountability.
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The fallout from the crashes triggered intense scrutiny, including congressional hearings in the United States and leadership changes within Boeing.
The crisis also marked a prolonged downturn for the company, which reported annual losses from 2018 through 2024.
However, Boeing has recently shown signs of recovery under CEO Kelly Ortberg, who has acknowledged the need to rebuild trust and strengthen safety standards.
Previous rulings have seen significant compensation awarded. In November, a Chicago jury granted $28.45 million to the widower of an Indian victim, while another case earlier this year ended in a confidential settlement.
Meanwhile, Stumo’s parents have become outspoken advocates for stricter aviation oversight.
Her mother, Nadia Milleron, is now running for Congress as an independent, while her father, Michael Stumo, continues to work in public policy.
As proceedings begin, the case is expected to once again draw global attention to the lingering consequences of one of aviation’s most devastating crises.