A federal court in Chicago has delivered a landmark verdict, ordering aircraft manufacturer Boeing to pay more than $28 million to the family of Shikha Garg, a United Nations environmental worker who lost her life in the tragic 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash.
The Historic Verdict
This case represents the first to reach trial among numerous lawsuits filed following the Ethiopian Airlines disaster and the earlier Lion Air crash in Indonesia in 2018. Together, these two accidents claimed 346 lives, shaking the aviation industry to its core.
The Chicago jury reached their decision after approximately two hours of deliberation. The awarded amount included $10 million for grief and $10 million for Garg's pain and suffering, with additional compensation bringing the total to over $28 million.
Family Reaction and Boeing's Response
Shikha Garg's widower, Soumya Bhattacharya, expressed acceptance of the verdict, telling AFP: "We happily accept the verdict. We came here for a jury trial and it's absolutely acceptable." The couple had been married for just three months before the tragedy struck.
Boeing issued a statement expressing deep regret about the fatal accidents. A company spokesperson stated: "We are deeply sorry to all who lost loved ones on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. While we have resolved the vast majority of these claims through settlements, families are also entitled to pursue their claims through damages trials in court, and we respect their right to do so."
Trial Proceedings and Legal Arguments
The legal battle saw significant disparity in proposed compensation amounts. Attorneys representing Bhattacharya had argued the estate should receive between $80 million and $230 million, while Boeing's counsel had proposed $11.95 million.
During closing arguments, Boeing attorney Dan Webb emphasized that the jury's decision must center on fair compensation rather than punishment. "This trial does not involve damages punishing Boeing; this trial only has to do with compensation," Webb stated, directly addressing Bhattacharya in court to express Boeing's apology.
The lawsuit stemmed from the March 10, 2019 flight that crashed just six minutes after departing Addis Ababa for Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board. Garg, who worked as a consultant for the United Nations Development Program, was traveling to Nairobi for a UN Environment Assembly.
In a poignant closing statement, plaintiff's attorney Shanin Specter highlighted the loss of Garg's potential, recalling Bhattacharya's testimony describing his late wife as a "brilliant" young professional studying renewable energy. "Part of Soumya's grief is knowing that he doesn't get to see her do that," Specter noted.
Boeing had previously accepted responsibility for the Ethiopian Airlines crash and acknowledged the need to pay damages to Garg's survivors. However, the trial focused on determining the final compensation amount, with Boeing's attorney contesting testimony regarding the extent of Garg's suffering before her death.
