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A Chicago federal jury has awarded nearly $50 million to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old woman who tragically died in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash involving a Boeing 737 MAX. This verdict marks one of the final legal resolutions related to the two devastating 737 MAX crashes that claimed a total of 346 lives within months of each other.
Samya Stumo was traveling on her first assignment in East Africa for a healthcare-focused NGO when the fatal accident occurred. Her mother, Nadia Milleron, recalled in 2019 how Samya boarded the plane with complete trust, never anticipating any issues. “There was a huge problem with the plane itself,” Milleron said.
Boeing had already accepted responsibility for the crash, so the court proceedings centered on determining the appropriate compensatory damages. While Boeing negotiated a deal with the Justice Department to avoid criminal charges and settled confidentially with many families, some cases, including Stumo’s, proceeded to trial.
Represented by attorneys Shanin Specter and Elizabeth Crawford of Kline & Specter, the Stumo family received $21 million for Samya’s experience during the fatal flight, $16.5 million for the loss of her companionship, and $12 million for the family’s grief. The legal team also plans to appeal to pursue punitive damages against Boeing executives and suppliers after those claims were initially dismissed.
This verdict follows another significant award last November, when a jury granted more than $28 million to the family of Shikha Garg, a United Nations environmental worker who also perished in the 2019 crash.
Boeing issued a statement expressing condolences to the families affected and acknowledged their respect for those who choose to seek justice through the courts despite most claims being settled.
In the wake of these tragedies, Samya Stumo’s family has joined other victims’ relatives in demanding accountability from Boeing and federal regulators to prevent future disasters. Her father, Michael Stumo, described her as a bright, intellectual leader who united those around her.
“We’re traumatized. We don’t want to be doing this.
But we want to avoid a third crash,” he said.