The case against Boeing on behalf of a Canadian man who lost his entire family in the 2019 crash of a 737 MAX8 aircraft in Ethiopia settled on the eve of trial late Friday (July 11, 2025) for a confidential amount.
U.S. District Court Judge Jorge Alonso in Chicago was set to begin jury selection Monday at the Dirksen Federal Building when it was announced Friday afternoon that the parties had reached an agreement through the mediator, Judge Donald O’Connell (retired).
“The aviation team at Clifford Law Offices has been working round-the-clock in preparation for trial, but the mediator was able to help the parties come to an agreement on behalf of Paul Njoroge,” said Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices. Clifford would have been trying the case with the Clifford Law aviation team of partners Kevin P. Durkin, Tracy A. Brammeier and John V. Kalantzis. Clifford serves as Lead Counsel of litigation that includes victims’ families from 35 countries around the world.
The parties will be back in court before Judge Alonso Wednesday, July 16, to discuss the next Boeing cases that are set for trial Nov. 3.
The trial that was set for Monday was to determine damages for Paul Njoroge of Toronto who lost his wife, Carolyne, 34, and three small children, Ryan, age 6, Kellie, 4, and Rubi, 9 months old, the youngest to be killed on the plane. Njoroge also lost his mother-in-law in the crash.
“From the moment Paul learned of the unspeakable tragedy, he has been unable to work. He has never been able to re-enter the family home that once was filled with children’s laughter and then suddenly became silent,” Clifford said. “Once a successful financial analyst, he instead now has devoted his time to a foundation for his lost family to help him work through his grief and sorrow and to preserve the memory of his young family. We hope and pray that this settlement will give Paul some closure.”
The tragedy occurred March 10, 2019, minutes after takeoff from the Addis Ababa airport in Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board shortly after takeoff.
For further information, contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell) or Pammenaker@cliffordlaw.com.