Families of Boeing Max Crash Victims Can Seek Pre-Impact Compensation, Rules Judge
The Facts
On Tuesday, a US federal judge ruled that the families of victims killed in the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash in Ethiopia can seek damages for their pre-impact pain and distress.
In his judgment, Judge Jorge Alonso stated it was a "reasonable inference" that the passengers onboard felt "pre-impact fright and terror," and that there is "sufficient evidence" they were aware they would "crash, horrifically, to their certain death."
The Spin
Narrative A
The fact that Max jets were allowed to fly with a system that depended on a single sensor to maintain safety reflects a monumental production quality defect, not the fault of Ethiopian Airlines but of Boeing. The agreement to pay compensation is part of a sweetheart deal to shelter Boeing from criminal prosecution for misleading federal regulators, who approved the Max by hiding details of its faulty flight-control system. Unfortunately, the fight for justice is far from over, and Boeing must be held accountable.
Narrative B
It would be unfair to blame this terrible crash solely on Boeing. The evidence suggests that Ethiopian Airlines' report on the incident was misleading and did not factor in human error or bird strikes on the sensor vane. Yet, Boeing admitted wrongdoing so that the families could receive some compensation instead of undergoing a protracted legal fight. Demonizing Boeing presents an incomplete picture of the facts.
