Silicosis: A Monolith On The Legal Plain

Growing legislation directed toward injuries allegedly caused by working with engineered stone products manufactured and distributed by various defendants, including manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and brokers, serves as a bellwether test for the rapidly growing engineered stone industry.

What Is Engineered Stone?
Engineered stone, commonly referred to as artificial stone or simply quartz, is the industrially manufactured stone slabs used to make countertops and other products. The process for manufacturing quartz slabs began in the 1960s but did not become commercially viable until the 1990s. Quartz, as compared with its alternatives – natural stones such as marble, granite and quartzite – offers many benefits, including durability, uniformity, affordability, and scratch and stain resistance. However, it was not until the housing boom in the 2000s that the quartz countertop industry took shape, led by industry giants Caesarstone, Cambria and Cosentino.