Boeing settles lawsuits over 2019 Ethiopian 737 Max crash

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CHICAGO - Boeing has reached settlements in two lawsuits related to the 2019 crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 in Ethiopia, just hours before the cases were set to go to trial in federal court.

The cases, Belanger v. Boeing and Lewis v. Boeing, were scheduled to begin jury selection on Monday, April 7. Both cases settled Sunday night, according to attorneys involved in the litigation.

The backstory:

The crash on March 10, 2019, claimed the lives of 157 people, including Darcy Belanger and Capt. Antoine Lewis. Belanger, 46, was a director of professional development at PCL Construction and a founding member of an environmental nonprofit. He was en route to speak at a United Nations Environmental Assembly. Lewis, 39, was a U.S. Army Captain from suburban Chicago, on military leave to explore business opportunities in Africa.

(L-R) Diana Sotomyor, Hayley Freedman and Deveney Williams, friends of Samya Stumo, who was killed when Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crashed in Ethiopia, listen to testimony during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on Cap (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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Belanger was represented by Mark Lindquist of Mark Lindquist Law in Tacoma, along with local counsel from Chicago, Austin Bartlett of BartlettChen LLC, and Robert Clifford.

What they're saying:

"I'm happy for our client," Lindquist said. "She stood her ground. We are satisfied with the resolution, accountability, and closure."

Lewis was represented by Antonio M. Romanucci, founding partner of Romanucci & Blandin.

People stand near collected debris at the crash site of Ethiopia Airlines near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 11, 2019. - An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed on March 10 morning en route from Add (MICHAEL TEWELDE/AFP via Getty Images)

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"This settlement will bring a measure of closure to Lewis’ widow, Yalena Lopez Lewis, but can never make up for this heartbreaking and life-altering loss for his family," Romanucci said.

The terms of the settlements are confidential, according to a press release from Lindquist's office.

What's next:

There are still pending cases for 18 other victims of the crash. The next trial is scheduled for July.

In addition to these civil cases, Boeing is facing a criminal trial in June, brought by the Department of Justice, over allegations of misleading regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two crashes occurred, resulting in 346 deaths.