What Is Engineered Stone?
Engineered stone, often sold as “quartz,” is a man-made countertop material. Manufacturers crush quartz, mix it with resin, and press it into large slabs. It has been one of the most popular countertops in U.S. kitchens and bathrooms since the 2000s. Common brand names include Caesarstone, Silestone, Cambria, Viatera, and Zodiaq.
Engineered stone is usually more than 90% crystalline silica. Natural granite usually contains far less, and marble contains very little. Other man-made products, like cultured marble and acrylic products also contain far less silica. When workers cut, grind, or polish engineered stone, it releases a fine silica dust that can travel deep into the lungs. Breathing that dust can cause silicosis, a serious lung disease that has no cure.
Who May Qualify
You may have a case if:
- You cut, ground, or polished, engineered stone (“quartz”) countertops in the United States, and
- A doctor has diagnosed you with silicosis. This includes accelerated or acute silicosis, progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), and cases that led to a lung transplant.
Families of workers who died from silicosis may also have a claim.
In some cases, lung cancer, COPD, or tuberculosis may also be part of a claim when a worker also has silicosis.
Not diagnosed yet? If you worked with engineered stone and have trouble breathing, a cough that won’t go away, or tiredness, but you have not been diagnosed, call us anyway. We may be able to help you get the lung scan (CT scan) you need.
Your immigration status does not stop you from making a claim. We will not ask about it to decide whether you can file, and we will treat anything you share with care.
Se habla español. Our team can speak with you in Spanish.
Current Case Status
Workers across the country have filed hundreds of lawsuits against engineered stone manufacturers and distributors. Most cases so far have been filed one at a time in state courts, many of them in California. There is no national class action.
In August 2024, a Los Angeles jury awarded $52.4 million to Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez (represented by separate counsel, not Duddy & Czarnecki PLLC), a 34-year-old fabricator who needed a double lung transplant after about 15 years of cutting and polishing engineered stone. The jury found against certain manufacturers (e.g., Caesarstone and Cambria). Other workers have since reached settlements.
California is where the most cases have been found. Between 2019 and mid-2026, California health officials confirmed more than 590 cases of silicosis linked to engineered stone, including 31 deaths and 65 lung transplants. About 98% of those workers are Latino men, and the average age at death was under 50. Doctors expect many more cases in other states as they start looking.
Governments are taking action:
- Australia banned engineered stone in July 2024, the first country to do so.
- California banned dry cutting of stone slabs starting January 2026. In September 2026, California regulators released a draft rule that would ban the fabrication of artificial stone that contains more than 1% silica.
- In Congress, the engineered stone industry is pushing a bill (H.R. 5437) that would block workers from suing manufacturers. The House Judiciary Committee advanced it in June 2026. It has not become law.
The Legal Theory
Engineered stone lawsuits are product liability cases. Workers typically claim:
- Failure to warn. The manufacturers knew cutting their slabs creates dangerous dust, and they did not properly warn the workers doing the cutting.
- Defective design. The slabs contain far more silica than needed, making them much more dangerous to fabricate than natural stone.
- The companies kept selling the product without taking reasonable steps to protect workers, even after cases of silicosis were reported around the world.
The Science
Silicosis happens when tiny silica particles get trapped in the lungs and cause scarring. The scarring makes it harder and harder to breathe. It does not heal, and it can keep getting worse even after the person stops working.
Silicosis usually takes decades to develop. Engineered stone is different. Because the dust has so much silica, workers can develop accelerated silicosis within a few years of exposure. Many get sick in their 30s and 40s.
Key research:
- 2012: Doctors in Israel reported a cluster of severe silicosis in workers who cut engineered stone, including patients who needed lung transplants.
- 2019: The CDC reported the first U.S. cases of severe silicosis in engineered stone workers in California, Colorado, Texas, and Washington. Two workers died.
- 2023: A study in JAMA Internal Medicine reviewed 52 California workers with silicosis from engineered stone. Most were Latino men. Ten died. Doctors had first misdiagnosed more than half of them, often as pneumonia or tuberculosis.
- Researchers have also found that many shops still have dangerous dust levels even when workers use water while cutting.
Key Legal Issues
What the companies knew. Whether manufacturers knew, or should have known, that cutting their slabs could cause severe lung disease, and when they knew it.
Blaming the shops. Manufacturers often argue that fabrication shops, not the companies that made the slabs, are responsible for protecting workers. Workers argue that the danger comes from the product itself.
Diagnosis and causation. A strong case starts with a confirmed silicosis diagnosis, usually from a lung CT scan and a report from a lung specialist, and proof of work with engineered stone.
Federal legislation. H.R. 5437 would bar lawsuits against slab manufacturers and sellers. If it ever became law, it could affect pending and future claims.
Filing deadlines. Every state limits how long you have to file a claim. The clock often starts at diagnosis. Waiting can cost you your right to file.
Damages. Compensation may cover medical bills, lung transplant costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and, for families, wrongful death.
Engineered Stone Timeline
2000s – Engineered Stone Becomes a Popular Countertop
Engineered quartz slabs become common in U.S. homes. Fabrication shops cut and polish them for kitchens and bathrooms.
2012 – First Major Cluster Reported in Israel
Doctors in Israel report severe silicosis in engineered stone workers, some needing lung transplants.
2015 – OSHA and NIOSH Issue Hazard Alert
Federal safety agencies warn that workers who fabricate countertops face serious silica exposure.
2016 – OSHA Tightens Silica Limit
OSHA lowers the legal limit for silica dust in the workplace to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
2019 – CDC Reports First U.S. Cases
The CDC reports severe silicosis, including two deaths, among engineered stone workers in four states.
July 2023 – JAMA Study of California Workers
A study of 52 California workers finds most were Latino men, ten died, and doctors first misdiagnosed more than half.
December 2023 – California Adopts Emergency Silica Rules
Cal/OSHA adopts emergency rules to protect workers who cut engineered stone.
July 2024 – Australia Bans Engineered Stone
Australia becomes the first country to ban engineered stone.
August 2024 – $52.4 Million Verdict
A Los Angeles jury awards $52.4 million to a fabricator who needed a double lung transplant, finding against manufacturers including Caesarstone and Cambria.
October 2025 – California Signs the STOP Act
California passes SB 20, banning dry cutting of stone slabs and requiring shops to be certified.
January 2026 – Congress Holds Hearing on Liability Shield
A House Judiciary subcommittee holds a hearing on H.R. 5437, which would protect slab manufacturers from lawsuits.
May 2026 – California Moves to Ban High-Silica Stone
California’s workplace safety board votes unanimously to start the process of banning artificial stone with more than 1% silica.
June 2026 – Liability Shield Bill Advances
The House Judiciary Committee advances H.R. 5437 by a 16–7 party-line vote. It still needs a full House vote and Senate approval.
September 2026 – California Releases Draft Ban
Cal/OSHA releases a draft emergency rule to ban fabrication of high-silica artificial stone. A final vote is expected in late 2026.