A lawsuit has been filed against Boeing in a U.S. court on behalf of families who lost loved ones in last year’s devastating Jeju Air crash in South Korea.
Newsweek has contacted Boeing and attorneys for the plaintiffs for further comment via email.
Why It Matters
The lawsuit revives concerns about Boeing’s safety practices following a series of incidents involving the company’s planes. Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed fining Boeing $3.1 million for a series of safety violations between September 2023 and February 2024, including an incident where a door plug panel flew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight shortly after takeoff.
The lawsuit also hits back at efforts to blame the dead pilots for the disaster, after the initial results of an investigation found that while both of the plane’s engines sustained bird strikes, the pilots had turned off the less-damaged one just before the crash-landing. The full report has not been released.
Fourteen families of the victims from the Jeju Air Boeing 737 crash that killed 179 people in 2024 are suing Boeing, claiming mechanical defects prevented the pilots from landing the plane safely.
On Dec. 29, 2024, the aircraft carrying 175 passengers and six crew members was flying in from Bangkok when it “veered off the runway” after landing and “collided” with a concrete fence at South Korea’s Muan International Airport, South Korean news agency Yonhap and CNN previously reported.
Two people, a pair of flight attendants, were reportedly the only survivors and rescued with “mid to severe” injuries.
MILWAUKIE Ore. (KPTV) — A new civil rights lawsuit has been initiated against Clackamas County deputies and an Oregon State Patrol officer in the aftermath of a fatal shooting last June.
The lawsuit, brought by lawyers representing the family, seems to reveal details that were not part of the initial story told by police.
According to court documents, Derrick Clark, the man who was shot and killed, was allegedly left lying on the ground for two hours after the incident, while numerous nearby officers failed to provide aid.
The lawsuit alleges that:
“Rather than provide Mr. Clark with medical care, the law enforcement officers proceeded to laugh, make jokes, refer to Mr. Clark as an animal and a boy, launch explosives at his motionless body, and released a police dog to bite his body.”
SEATTLE - A Seattle law firm representing family members of victims killed when a Boeing 737-500 crashed in the Java Sea in January has filed a lawsuit against the airline manufacturer.
On Jan. 9, 2021, a Boeing 737-524 was flying from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Pontianak, Indonesia, when it crashed five minutes after departing from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
None of the 62 people on board survived. It's unknown what caused the plane to crash, but early investigations reveal it may have had something to do with an auto-throttle system.
On March 23, 2020, the 26-year-old Boeing plane was parked due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hundreds of other 737 planes around the world were parked as well, which created an unprecedented challenge for maintenance, Seattle firm Herrmann Law Group said in a news release.
"This is a major public safety issue. As the manufacturer of the plane, Boeing has an ongoing duty to warn airlines and instruct airlines to help them keep the planes safe. In this instance, you have at least two problems where Boeing failed to give adequate warnings and instructions. Number one, the parking of the planes during this pandemic and number two, the repeated problems with the auto throttle," said Mark Lindquist, lead attorney on the case for the Herrmann Law Group.
The auto-throttle system in the 737-500 planes is different from the now-famed MCAS system in the 737 MAX jets, which was blamed for two deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia and forced the grounding of MAX jets worldwide.
Washington deputies fired 34 rounds in the fatal shooting of an armed suspect that sparked violent protests last month — so many that they mistakenly thought he was firing back at them, according to reports.
An investigation showed three Clark County deputies shot 21-year-old Kevin Peterson Jr. when he fled a drug-dealing sting in Hazel Dell on Oct. 29, aiming a semi-automatic handgun at them, according to The Columbian.
A lawyer representing the family, Lara Herrmann, called for an apology for the initial public statements that Peterson Jr. had shot at the officers.
“When law enforcement makes a false accusation, as they did in the shooting of Kevin, it’s heartbreaking for the family,” Hermann said in a statement to both papers.
Other lawyers for the family also challenged the suggestion that he had posed a lethal threat. “Nobody should die over a fistful of Xanax,” Mark Lindquist, another lawyer for the family, told The Columbian. Detectives were trying to arrest him for the sale of 50 Xanax pills.
Herrmann Law Group filed a lawsuit on Nov. 5 on behalf of three people injured when a car crashed into the Dim Sum King restaurant in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.
The three plaintiffs were on the sidewalk and about to step into Dim Sum King when the driver of a Toyota Camry jumped the curb and ran into them on Oct. 22.
One victim was pushed into the restaurant with the car. He was knocked unconscious and suffered severe injuries, which were initially characterized as “life-threatening.” Seattle Fire Department units rushed him to Harborview Medical Center, where he was in intensive care for more than a week. The 30-year-old victim, an immigrant from China, is still in ICU at Harborview.
The mother of a 19-year-old Seattle man fatally shot last month in the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone filed a wrongful-death claim against the city of Seattle on Monday, alleging city officials created a dangerous environment by allowing protesters to occupy six city blocks and that police and fire officials failed to protect or medically assist her son.
The city has 60 days to respond to the claim before a federal lawsuit can be filed, according to attorneys representing Donnitta Sinclair Martin, the mother of Lorenzo Anderson. Anderson was shot multiple times early on June 20 at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street, near a boundary of the CHOP zone before it was cleared by police on July 1.
Anderson and a 33-year-old man, who was critically injured, were shot that Saturday and were transported in private vehicles to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center by volunteer medics. At the time, demonstrators had largely blocked off law enforcement access to the CHOP area amid demands for racial justice and calls to defund the Seattle Police Department (SPD).
Anderson, who had just graduated the day before from Seattle’s Interagency Academy, was pronounced dead at Harborview. A suspect has not been arrested.
Attorneys representing Brendelin Branch, the mother of Bennie Branch, have filed a claim of excessive force against the City of Tacoma and Tacoma Police Department Officer Ryan Bradley who fatally shot Branch on Sept. 8, 2019. Branch was 24.
The claim seeks monetary damages in excess of $1 million. Under Washington state law, a claim for damages must be submitted before bringing a lawsuit against a municipality or its employees for violations of state tort law. Sixty days after filing the claim, a lawsuit will be filed in federal court at the U.S. District Courthouse in Tacoma.
According to police reports, officers contacted Branch late at night when they were checking on a vehicle in an area known for drug use. Officers and Branch scuffled. At some point, Branch attempted to flee. He was shot and killed.
An Airsoft pistol, or BB gun, was recovered near Branch’s body. Police allege he was reaching for the toy pistol in his waistband when he was shot.
Brendelin Branch, who was present at the scene and witnessed the incident, reported officers had taken the BB gun from her son “and brushed it away” before the shooting.
Ten spent shell casings were recovered at the scene, indicating Officer Bradley fired ten rounds. Several shots hit Branch, including in his back.
Ben Crump, Dale K. Galipo and local attorneys Lara Herrmann and Crystal R. Lloyd represent Brendelin Branch. Crump, a nationally-known civil rights attorney, has represented many families in excessive force incidents, including the family of George Floyd in Minnesota and the family of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia. Galipo, a California civil rights lawyer, has handled hundreds of police shooting cases. Herrmann and Lloyd of Herrmann Law Group recently partnered with Crump to secure a settlement in the fatal police shooting of farm worker Antonio Zambrano-Montes in Pasco, Washington.
READ MORE AT THE TACOMA WEEKLY
The rise in hate crimes directed at local Asian Americans is cause for alarm. Asian Americans are daily harassed, spat upon, and even viciously assaulted. Our Seattle Police Department reports nine xenophobic attacks since March. While racial prejudice has always been an ugly fact of life, never have we witnessed such a dramatic increase in assaults on Asian Americans locally. All Americans should unite in one voice condemning these despicable acts.
Our personal injury law firm, Herrmann Law Group, has served Asian communities for 70 years. We recently discovered the Chinese Information Service Center (CISC), a nonprofit organization that assists all immigrants, was turned down for funding on its proposal to address hate crimes against Asian Americans. After discussions with Michael Itti, Executive Director of CISC, we decided this would be one of our ways to give back to the communities we serve. We are fully funding the project.
Wondering whether you have COVID-19? The United States is the epicenter of the pandemic and the Puget Sound region is a hot spot.
Herrmann Law Group, in conjunction with Westcare Clinic, is offering free COVID-19 blood tests in Everett on May 29, Friday, and May 30, Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at 14 E. Casino Road, Building A. Call for an appointment: (206) 773-8180.
This is a drive-through test. You don’t even leave your car. Masked and gloved attendants come to your window, prick your finger, and test the blood. You’ll receive results in minutes.
Former Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist, who joined Herrmann Law Group in 2019, tried the free service last weekend. He drove to a testing booth with his wife Chelsea and daughter Sloane. A few minutes after arriving, he posted the negative results on Facebook.
“Quick and painless,” Lindquist said, describing the experience.
Herrmann Law Group does not require you to be an essential worker, speak English, or fill out a form on the internet. HLG and Westcare Clinic will test anyone who shows up for their appointment.
“We want the tests to be accessible, especially to underserved communities,” said HLG co-owner Lara Herrmann. “Our firm sees this crisis as another opportunity to be responsible citizens and help others.”
I represent the families of people killed in mass tort disasters. This is a specialized field with a small set of attorneys who take these cases. For people who aren’t in this area, they likely do not appreciate how difficult it to be someone injured, or family member to someone killed, in one of these events.
First, there’s the event itself. The horror of these events cannot possibly be overstated. This is because they are deeply unnatural events. For example, when an airliner was shot down over Soviet Airspace, the passengers did not die in an explosion.
Nearly a year after the Lion Air crash killed 189 people, four victim families reached a settlement with Boeing, a families' attorney tells CNN Business.
"We represent 46 victim families. We reached an agreement on four of those cases," said Mark Lindquist of Herrmann Law Group. "Negotiations are ongoing. Our goals are justice for the victims, accountability from Boeing and safer skies for everyone-- whether we get there by settlement or by trial."
A new Washington lawsuit alleges that defective vape products led to lung illness. It’s the first suit of its kind filed in the state.
The suit filed by Herrmann Law Group, with offices in Seattle and Tacoma, on behalf of 44-year-old Charles Wilcoxen, claims he suffered from lipoid pneumonia that was caused by vape products and Everett-based distributor Canna Brand Solutions, which sold the Chinese-made vaporizer he used.
Wilcoxen, an Army veteran and Puyallup Tribal Police officer, began using a vaporizer with THC vape pods in 2018 to help with pain relief and stress. Earlier this month, he started suffering from severe wheezing and had to be hospitalized for three days.
Just one year after her husband died in a plane crash, a local widow is suing the aviation school that she says is responsible.
Hermann Law Group filed suit in Spokane Superior Court on Friday, on behalf of Yuki Lee and her infant daughter.
Documents reveal Joochan Lee was taking his first flight lesson at Moody Aviation College when the plane plummeted to the earth, killing him and the two other occupants inside.
The complaint alleges it was Moody Aviation’s negligence that caused the plane to crash near Deer Park on July 13, 2018. The plane, which was built in 2000, was used for pilot training by the school.
According to Hermann Law Group, Diego Senn was the pilot in command on the day of the crash. A Moody Certified Flight Instructor, Senn had received his CFI license six months prior. Records show a fellow student, Andrew Trouten, was also on board observing at the time. All three men died.
“Unfortunately, this tragic air crash is another example of how cutting costs often results in loss of aviation safety,” said Lee’s attorney, Charles Herrmann of Herrmann Law Group. “Ms. Lee was pregnant at the time of the crash, carrying their first child whom Joochan never saw.”
When former Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist moved on from his post after the 2018 election, he pretty much hit the ground running. After interviewing with several law firms and considering offers, he chose the renowned Herrmann Law Group, which handles aviation disasters, automobile accidents, and other personal injury cases.
“I planned to take a break for writing, reading, and life maintenance, but this opportunity was too good to refuse,” he told The Tacoma Weekly. “So I went straight from one job to the next. No break.”
Now, Lindquist is using his experience and savvy to help the families of those who perished in the two deadliest Boeing airline crashes in history.
Last week, the Herrmann Law Group filed a federal lawsuit against The Boeing Company on behalf of the families of two victims who died in the March 10 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. Prior to this, the firm filed suit against The Boeing Company on behalf of the families of 17 victims who died in the crash of Lion Air Flight JT 610 on Oct. 29, 2018.
“When I joined Herrmann Law, I knew Lion Air would be the first case I would work on,” Lindquist said. “I didn’t know how big of a job it would become. It’s the most engaging case of my career so far and I’ve been blessed to work on many engaging cases.”
Lindquist said he chose Herrmann Law because the firm embodies his professional and personal values.
“When we met to discuss the job, Chuck (Herrmann Law Chairman Charles Herrmann] told me, ‘The purpose of law is to do good and avoid evil.’ Simple and true. That resonated with me.”
This week the Herrmann Law Group filed a federal lawsuit against The Boeing Company on behalf of the families of two victims who died in the crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines.
Herrmann Law Group also represents more than 30 victim families from the crash of Lion Air Flight JT 610 on Oct. 29, 2018. Both the Lion Air and Ethiopian air crashes involved new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.
The new complaint alleges three main charges: 1) Boeing’s 737 Max 8 was defective, 2) Boeing concealed the dangers of a new computer system on the aircraft from pilots, airlines, and the FAA, and 3) even after the Lion Air crash in 2018, Boeing failed to fully inform pilots of the dangers.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 departed Addis Abba, Ethiopia, on March 10, 2019. On board were eight crewmembers and 149 passengers from more than 30 countries. They were bound for Nairobi, Kenya. Many of the passengers were traveling to United Nations or African Union conferences. The plane crashed only minutes after takeoff. All on board died.
The 157 victims include Canadian Professor Adebola Pius Adesanmi, a world-renowned essayist, satirist, and human rights activist. Herrmann Law Group represents his estate.
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 Herrmann Law Group said Wednesday that it is representing the families of two victims of the March 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 156 people.
“Liability will not truly be in dispute here. Boeing is at fault. Their equipment failed. Their planes crashed twice,” Mark Lindquist, an attorney with the Herrmann Law Group who is representing the families of 26 victims of the Lion Air crash, told Yahoo Finance.
There are reports that Boeing is rushing to install new safety devices in its 737 MAX airliners, following two fatal crashes in six months: the Ethiopian Airlines crash less than a fortnight ago, and a Lion Air flight last October, which crashed into the waters off Indonesia shortly after take-off, killing everyone on board.
The families were still mourning relatives lost in the crash of Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia when they were crammed into a hotel conference room a few weeks after the crash.
A law firm in Washington State is suing the American aircraft manufacturer for its role in the crash of a Lion Air aircraft off Indonesia in October 2018 and is preparing a second appeal in connection with the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane, which occurred about ten days ago.
Renowned International lawyer Charles Herrmann came to Indonesia to compensate the families of Indonesian victims who took a tour bus in the US when they were hit by an Amphibious Tour vehicle operated by Ride the Ducks of Seattle, Washington.
Preliminary data recovered from the black boxes of last week’s Ethiopian Airlines crash has revealed “similarities” to October’s fatal Lion Air crash, the Ethiopian Minister of Transport said Sunday.
On March 12, the Herrmann Law Group filed a lawsuit against the Boeing Company on behalf of the families of 17 victims who died in the crash of a Boeing 737 operated by Lion Air. The complaint alleges that Boeing equipment failed, and that Boeing failed to properly inform pilots about the presence and dangers of a new automated system installed in the aircraft.
Federal Aviation Administration managers pushed its engineers to delegate wide responsibility for assessing the safety of the 737 MAX to Boeing itself. But safety engineers familiar with the documents shared details that show the analysis included crucial flaws.
“Years of experience representing hundreds of victims has revealed a common thread through most air disaster cases,” said Charles Herrmann, the principle of Herrmann Law, which has an office in the International District.
“Generating profit in a fiercely competitive market too often involves cutting safety measures. In this case, Boeing cut training and completely eliminated instructions and warnings on a new system. Pilots didn’t even know it existed. I can’t blame so many pilots for being mad as hell.”
Herrmann law is known internationally as the best company for aviation litigation.
Boeing is being sued in Seattle on behalf of the families of some of the 189 people who died in the October crash of a Lion Air jet. The suit blames a new automated flight-control system on the 737 Max and says Boeing failed to disclose information to pilots.
A Seattle lawyer representing several victims of the fatal 2015 Ride the Ducks crash on the Aurora Bridge says four of the plaintiffs have settled their cases for a total $8.25 million in the middle of a civil trial ongoing in King County Superior Court. Attorney Lara Herrmann said most of that sum — $7 million — will go to the family of 18-year-old who was killed in the collision.
APRIL 27, 2020