US Jury Orders Boeing to Pay $28M to Indian Crash Victim’s Family

A United States jury has ruled that aircraft manufacturer Boeing must pay $28.45 million to the family of Shikha Garg, a New Delhi-based consultant who tragically lost her life in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash involving a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

The verdict marks the first civil trial related to the fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes, which together claimed 346 lives across two incidents in 2018 and 2019. The jury in a federal court in Chicago reached its decision after two hours of deliberation, awarding $10 million each for grief and pain and suffering, along with additional compensation.

Shikha Garg, who worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), was among the 157 passengers killed when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi. The tragedy occurred just months after a similar 737 MAX crash involving Indonesia’s Lion Air, which killed 189 people.

Her husband, Soumya Bhattacharya, expressed his acceptance of the jury’s decision, saying, “We came here for a jury trial, and it’s absolutely acceptable.” The couple had been married for only three months when the crash occurred. Garg was traveling to Nairobi for a UN Environment Assembly at the time of the incident.

Boeing acknowledged its responsibility for the Ethiopian Airlines disaster, expressing deep regret to all families who lost loved ones in both MAX crashes. The company stated that while most claims have been settled out of court, it respects the families’ right to pursue damages trials.

During the trial, Boeing’s legal team argued that the compensation should be “fair and reasonable,” suggesting $11.95 million in total damages. In contrast, the plaintiffs had sought between $80 million and $230 million, citing Garg’s potential and the immense emotional suffering endured by her husband and family.

In his closing remarks, Boeing attorney Dan Webb personally apologized to Bhattacharya in court, stating that the trial was about “compensation, not punishment.”

Meanwhile, plaintiffs attorney Shanin Specter emphasized Garg’s brilliance and career potential, noting that her death represented not only personal loss but also a loss of promise for the global community she served.

The ruling is a significant moment in the long-running legal battles surrounding Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft, which were grounded worldwide for nearly two years following the twin crashes. Safety reforms and design changes were later mandated before the jets returned to service.

The verdict is expected to set a precedent for similar cases still pending in US courts, as families continue to seek justice for their loved ones lost in one of aviation’s darkest chapters.