Recent Verdicts in Artificial Stone/Countertop Cases

In the last two years, three artificial stone/crystalline silica “countertop” cases went to trial resulting in two multi-million-dollar verdicts for the Plaintiffs and one defense verdict.

In April 2026, the most recent silica case in the United States went to verdict, with a jury splitting their decision on Plaintiff’s claims. Jordan v. Cambria Co., LLC, et al., tried in Denver County, Colorado was the first US silica case reaching verdict outside of California. Plaintiff, Tyler Jordan worked in his parents’ fabrication shop for over a decade, cutting, polishing, and shaping artificial stone slabs before being diagnosed with silicosis. He alleged Stone Manufacturers were negligent in their actions providing engineered stone slabs without reasonable warnings of the dangers of inhaling dust and that these products had design defects that make them unsafe to fabricators.

The Stone Manufacturer Defendants argued that they provide adequate warnings, their product is safe and it is the unsafe working conditions that Fabricators work under that result in Plaintiff’s conditions.

The Jury returned a verdict in favor of the Plaintiff awarding $16,850,000 total in damages consisting of $7,600,000 for economic loss, $7,600,000 for Physical Impairment damages, and $1,650,000 for non-economic damages. $600,000 was awarded to Plaintiff’s wife for non-economic damage. Of the six remaining defendants, the jury found three defendants not liable and three defendants and the Employer all liable with the Employer assigned nearly two thirds responsibility at 63%.

In April 2025, Wendy Viridiana Solano Claustro v. ADB Global Trade LLC. went to trial in Los Angeles County against three remaining defendants. Prior to submission of the case to the jury, the court granted non-suit as to all defendants against Plaintiffs’ claims for Defendant’s failure to warn. Only the Negligence and Design Defect claims remained. A jury returned with a verdict in favor of all Defendants and against Plaintiff on both remaining causes of actions.

The first verdict occurred in June 2024. Gustavo Reyes-Gonzalez v. Aaroha Radiant Marble and Granite, et al. went to trial in Los Angeles County against two stone manufacture defendants and one distributor.

. The jury awarded a total of $52,437,366 in damages consisting of $8,256,366 for economic loss, $21,565,000 for past noneconomic loss, and $22,615,000 for future non-economic damages. The verdict was allocated 10% and 15% to the two stone manufacturers, 2.5% as to the distributor, 70% as to the employers and 2% comparative fault as to the plaintiff. The verdict as to the distributor was successfully overturned on a post-trial motion which was upheld on appeal.

To date, there are more than 450 similar cases filed in the State California with new cases continuing to be filed throughout the United States.

As to upcoming trials in California, there are six scheduled for the balance of 2025 which will be reported on in future editions of this newsletter.