Brampton Man Seeks Damages from Boeing Over 2019 Crash

A man from Brampton, Ontario, is pursuing legal action against Boeing for damages related to the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which resulted in the deaths of six of his family members. The case will be presented in a Chicago courtroom starting Monday, with jury selection set for the morning.

Manant Vaidya lost his parents, sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces in the crash of the Boeing 737 MAX8 on March 10, 2019. The aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on its way to Nairobi, Kenya. All 157 individuals aboard the flight, who represented 35 different countries, perished in the incident. Vaidya and his family were traveling during spring break to visit the birthplace of the girls’ mother.

The hearing is expected to last approximately one week, with Vaidya’s legal team aiming to hold Boeing accountable for the devastating impact of the crash. While the attorneys have not disclosed an exact monetary amount being sought, they emphasize the necessity of seeking damages to address the loss.

Boeing has accepted responsibility for the crash, a decision that allows the families of the victims, including Vaidya, to pursue individual claims in U.S. courts instead of in their home countries. In a significant settlement to avoid federal charges in the U.S., the airline manufacturer has agreed to pay or invest an additional $1.1 billion in fines and compensation for the families affected by the tragedy.

Following the incident, families of the victims have initiated over 100 lawsuits against Boeing. Notably, Paul Njoroge, a Canadian man who lost his wife and three children in the crash, reached a settlement with the company last July; however, the specific terms of that agreement remain undisclosed.

In a related case, a Chicago jury awarded over $28 million to the family of a United Nations consultant who was also a victim of the crash last November. The outcomes of these cases highlight the ongoing legal challenges Boeing faces as it seeks to address the fallout from this tragic event.

As the legal proceedings continue, the emotional toll on the families affected by this disaster remains profound, underscoring the human impact behind the legal battles.