Opening statements commenced Tuesday afternoon in Chicago federal court for the first civil trial against Boeing concerning the 2019 crash of a 737 Max 8 aircraft operated by Ethiopian Airlines. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 157 individuals on board. While Boeing has settled the majority of wrongful death lawsuits related to this incident, two cases remain unresolved and are now proceeding to trial. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/84098e93821ccbaace391b3cf72dc866?utm_source=openai))
The trial is not focused on determining Boeing’s liability, as the company has already accepted responsibility for the crash. Instead, the jury will deliberate on the appropriate compensation for the families of two victims: Mercy Ndivo, a 28-year-old mother from Kenya, and Shikha Garg, a 36-year-old United Nations consultant from India. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/84098e93821ccbaace391b3cf72dc866?utm_source=openai))
Jury selection began Tuesday morning before U.S. District Court Judge Jorge Alonso at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago. An eight-person jury is expected to be seated to hear the civil cases. The trial is anticipated to last approximately two weeks. ([cliffordlaw.com](https://www.cliffordlaw.com/jury-selection-underway-on-tuesday-nov-4-in-boeing-crash-case-with-opening-statements-to-follow-from-internationally-acclaimed-aviation-attorneys/?utm_source=openai))
Boeing has expressed its commitment to fairly resolving claims and has previously settled numerous lawsuits related to the 737 Max crashes. However, settlement discussions for these particular cases were unsuccessful, leading to the current legal proceedings. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/84098e93821ccbaace391b3cf72dc866?utm_source=openai))
The outcome of this trial may influence the resolution of the remaining 14 lawsuits that have yet to be settled. Legal experts suggest that the jury’s decision on compensation could set a precedent for future cases involving the 737 Max crashes. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/84098e93821ccbaace391b3cf72dc866?utm_source=openai))
The 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash, along with a similar incident involving a Lion Air flight in Indonesia in 2018, led to a global grounding of the 737 Max fleet and prompted extensive scrutiny of Boeing’s aircraft design and safety protocols. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) was identified as a contributing factor in both crashes. ([anews.com.tr](https://www.anews.com.tr/life/2025/11/04/us-civil-trial-to-hear-opening-arguments-on-boeing-max-crash?utm_source=openai))
As the trial progresses, it is expected to shed further light on Boeing’s accountability and the measures taken to address the safety concerns that emerged from these tragic events.