Workers involved in the fabrication of quartz and engineered stone countertops may face serious health risks from respirable crystalline silica dust released during cutting, grinding, drilling, polishing, and other fabrication activities. In recent years, a growing number of countertop workers have been diagnosed with silicosis and other severe silica-related illnesses after years of working with engineered stone products.
As more workers come forward with similar diagnoses, lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers throughout the engineered stone industry. These claims allege that companies failed to adequately warn workers about the dangers associated with silica-containing products and the risks created during ordinary fabrication work.
Meyers & Flowers is investigating potential claims on behalf of workers and families affected by engineered stone silica exposure across the United States. If you or a loved one developed silicosis or another silica-related illness after working with engineered stone products, you may have legal options.
Our previous case results:
- $3 Billion – Defective Medical Device (Settlement)
- $15 Million – Defective Medical Device (Settlement)
- $7.1 Million – Product Liability (Jury Verdict)
What Is the Engineered Stone Silicosis Litigation?
Engineered stone, sometimes marketed as quartz surfacing or artificial stone, is commonly used in kitchen and bathroom countertops. Unlike many natural stone products, engineered stone can contain extremely high concentrations of crystalline silica.
Before a countertop can be installed, slabs must be cut, shaped, drilled, edged, and polished. These processes can generate fine silica dust that can remain airborne for extended periods of time and be inhaled by workers in fabrication shops and job sites.
The lawsuits being filed across the country focus on the companies that designed, manufactured, marketed, distributed, or sold engineered stone products. Plaintiffs allege that these companies knew, or should have known, about the dangers associated with silica exposure and failed to provide adequate warnings or safety information.
Depending on the circumstances, claims may involve allegations of product liability, failure to warn, negligence, design defects, or misrepresentation.
Health Problems Linked to Engineered Stone Exposure
Exposure to respirable crystalline silica has been linked to several serious health conditions. The severity of these illnesses can vary, but many can cause permanent lung damage, long-term health complications, and, in some cases, death.
Reported health conditions include:
- Silicosis
- Progressive massive fibrosis (PMF)
- Chronic respiratory impairment
- Silica-related kidney disease
- Lung transplantation
- Death
Silica-related illnesses often develop gradually, with symptoms sometimes appearing years after exposure begins. Some workers are diagnosed after years of exposure, while others have reportedly developed severe disease at relatively young ages.
A 2026 study identified 592 California engineered stone workers diagnosed with silicosis between 2019 and mid-2026, including dozens of lung transplants and deaths. The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking engineered stone fabrication to serious silica-related illnesses.
Who May Be Eligible to File an Engineered Stone Silicosis Lawsuit?
Workers who developed silicosis or another silica-related illness after fabricating engineered stone products may have grounds to pursue a claim. In some situations, family members may also be able to pursue legal action following the loss of a loved one.
Potential claimants may include:
- Countertop fabricators
- Stone cutters
- Stone polishers and finishers
- Countertop installers
- Fabrication shop employees
- Workers diagnosed with silicosis or other silica-related diseases
- Families pursuing a wrongful death claim after the loss of a loved one
Eligibility may depend on factors such as a worker’s diagnosis, employment history, exposure history, and the laws of the state where a claim is filed.
Recent Verdicts in Engineered Stone Silicosis Cases
Several engineered stone silicosis cases have already reached juries, resulting in significant verdicts for injured workers and families.
In August 2026, a California jury awarded approximately $47 million to the family of a countertop fabricator who died after developing silicosis. Later that same month, another California jury awarded $7.1 million to the family of a fabrication worker who died from the disease. Earlier in 2026, a Colorado jury awarded $17.45 million to a worker diagnosed with artificial stone silicosis and silica-related chronic kidney disease.
Not every case has resulted in a plaintiff verdict, and litigation remains ongoing nationwide.
How Meyers & Flowers Can Help
If you or a loved one developed silicosis or another serious silica-related illness after working with engineered stone or quartz countertops, you may have legal options.
Meyers & Flowers can review your work history, investigate potential sources of exposure, identify potentially responsible manufacturers and distributors, and evaluate whether you may qualify to pursue compensation. We can answer your questions, explain the claims process, and help you understand what legal options may be available.