Legal Support for
Silicosis Cases
If you’ve been diagnosed with Silicosis from working with engineered-stone countertops, our dedicated legal team can help. We’ve recovered millions for clients just like you.
Quartz Countertop Silicosis Attorneys
If you’ve been diagnosed with Silicosis from working with engineered-stone countertops, our legal team is ready to fight for your rights.
Quartz countertops, also known as engineered stone, are the most popular choice for kitchen and bath countertops in the United States. However, there is a hidden cost to workers who are exposed to silica dust at high levels and are becoming sick with silicosis. Quartz countertops bind silica particles with resin, and the fabrication process releases dangerous silica dust into the air.
What Is Silica?
Silica is a common mineral found naturally in stone, soil and sand. It is also found in granite and artificial stone. Non-crystalline silica is found in glass, silicone, and other materials and products. It has less of an impact on our lungs than the crystalline form. Crystalline silica—found predominantly in quartz—can cause lung issues, especially for workers who inhale silica dust during the fabrication of engineered stone products.
Exposure to silica is hazardous because it can cause silicosis, an irreversible lung disease, as well as other serious lung diseases, including pulmonary diseases and lung cancer.
What Is Silicosis Lung Disease?
Silicosis is a lung disease caused by occupational (job-related) exposure to airborne silica dust particles, a byproduct of fabricating engineered stone countertops. This work is especially dangerous when protective equipment, like masks and respirators, are not provided. Even then, wet sawing, ventilation, and protective gear may not be sufficient to prevent inhalation of the harmful particles.
Historically, silicosis takes decades to develop with natural stone, but with artificial stone, symptoms usually appear in just a few years. Silicosis can be treated, but it cannot be cured or reversed. According to the American Lung Association, symptoms of silicosis include persistent cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. As the disease progresses, it may lead to more severe respiratory issues, including respiratory failure and lung transplantation.
Did you or a loved one work with QUARTZ countertops and have been diagnosed with SILICOSIS or needed a lung transplant? You may qualify for compensation.
Who Is at Risk of Developing Silicosis?
Stone Countertop Fabricators
Stone countertop fabricators are at risk of developing silicosis due to the high levels of silica dust generated during cutting, grinding, and polishing engineered stone materials.
Construction Workers
Construction workers, especially those involved in demolition, concrete cutting, and masonry, are frequently exposed to silica dust from building materials, putting them at significant risk of silicosis.
Miners
Sandblasters
Sandblasters are at high risk because the process of sandblasting involves using high-pressure silica particles to clean or etch surfaces, resulting in heavy inhalation of silica dust.
Ceramic and Pottery Workers
Workers in the ceramic and pottery industry are exposed to silica dust from raw materials like clay and glazes, which are commonly used in manufacturing ceramics and pottery.
Glass Manufacturing Workers
Glass manufacturing workers are at risk because the production of glass involves handling materials that contain silica, which can generate harmful dust during various stages of the manufacturing process.
Are you or a loved one suffering from silicosis?
At Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford our work is more than a profession—it’s our passion. Contact us now for a free consultation so we can begin the fight.
Quartz (Engineered Stone) Countertops
Quartz slabs are cheaper and more durable than natural stone, but their silica content is far higher. When they are cut or ground, they release clouds of silica dust that easily enter the lungs and can lead to silicosis.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health “have identified exposure to silica as a health hazard to workers involved in manufacturing, finishing and installing natural and manufactured stone countertop products both in fabrication shops and during in-home finishing/installation.”
The highest silica levels are associated with manufactured countertops, which can contain over 90% silica. In contrast, calcium-based stones, such as limestone and certain marbles, contain little or no silica. Granite can contain up to 50% silica.
OSHA recommends that employers monitor and “control exposure to respirable crystalline silica” so that workers are not exposed to exposure limits greater than “50 µg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average.” OSHA further recommends controls such as wet sawing, filters, air monitoring, ventilation, HEPA-filtered vacuums, and respiratory protection.
Request A Free ConsultationFiling A Silicosis Lawsuit
If you were exposed to silica dust while working as a stone fabricator and later developed a silica dust exposure illness, you may be eligible to file a silicosis lawsuit. Silicosis lawsuits may be filed against stone manufacturers and suppliers that failed to create a safe workplace for their employees, causing them to be exposed to unsafe levels of silica dust. Silicosis lawsuits have been filed against stone countertop manufacturers and suppliers, including Caesarstone USA Inc., Cambria USA, Colorquartz USA Inc. and Cosentino Group.
Strict time limits, known as the statute of limitations, apply to the filing of a lawsuit in New York State. It is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible to determine the statute of limitation that applies to your case. If you worked with engineered stone, and have been diagnosed with silicosis or lung cancer, please contact us for a free consultation. Our team of experienced trial lawyers will evaluate your claim and guide you through the legal process.
About Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford
John Lipsitz and Michael Ponterio co-founded Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford, LLC in 1995, driven by their commitment to justice for asbestos victims. John Comerford, initially a law clerk, became a partner, and in 2021, the firm’s name was updated to reflect his contributions.
With nearly 100 years of combined experience, the firm has shaped asbestos law in New York, achieving landmark verdicts and recovering over a billion dollars for clients. The attorneys’ dedication is deeply personal, influenced by their family’s ties to labor movements and firsthand experiences with asbestos exposure. The firm remains committed to justice, community roots, and compassion for victims of corporate negligence.
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