Seattle law firm sues Boeing for 2nd deadly 737 Max 8 crash



SEATTLE -- A Seattle law firm has filed a federal lawsuit against Boeing for the second of two deadly crashes involving the company's 737 Max 8 planes.

The Hermann Law Group said Wednesday that it is representing the families of two victims of the March 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 156 people.

The lawsuit alleges that the 737 Max 8 plane was flawed in its design and that Boeing wasn't honest about the dangers of the new computer system to pilots.

The law firm is also representing 30 families of victims in the October 2018 Lion Air crash in Indonesia where 189 people died. That plane was also a 737 Max 8.

In March, regulators grounded the Boeing 737 Max and the company suspended deliveries of new jets. A separate lawsuit alleges collusion between Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration before the two crashes. That lawsuit claims the FAA became too cozy with Boeing, leading to a lack of proper oversight in clearing the 737 Max to fly.

It is unclear when the 737 Max will be allowed to return to service. Boeing is working on a software fix to a safety system which is believed to have caused the two crashes. But it says it won't be able to present that fix to aviation authorities until September at the earliest, and it hopes to have a certification flight in October.

Boeing issued the following statement Wednesday:

We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all those onboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. As the investigations continue, Boeing is cooperating fully with the investigating authorities. We won’t comment on the lawsuits directly. Safety is our highest priority as we design, build and support our airplanes.


The Associated Press contributed to this report