Brayton Purcell LLP announces $7.1 Million Plaintiff's Verdict in the Fifth Artificial Stone Countertop Fabrication Silicosis Trial

NOVATO, Calif., Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Brayton Purcell LLP is pleased to report that, on August 19, 2026, in the case of Eufrocina Sanchez-Reyes individually and as successor-in-interest of her deceased husband, 3 minors by and through their Guardian Ad Litem Eufrocina Sanchez-Reyes and Melissa Ramirez Sanchez and Michelle Angelina Ramirez as wrongful death heirs, Case No. 30-2024-01439369 the jury assessed a $7,100,000 verdict on behalf of the family of Gerardo Ramirez-Soriano against Dal-Tile Distribution, LLC, Dal-Tile Tennessee, LLC and Paragon Industries, Inc., dba Bedrosians Tile & Stone. This was the fifth artificial stone silicosis trial to verdict in the U.S., and the fourth verdict in favor of plaintiffs. Gerado Ramirez-Soriano developed artificial stone silicosis and died at age 46 after working as an artificial stone countertop fabrication worker. Mr. Ramirez-Soriano fabricated natural stone, marble, and granite for years. He never knew and was never warned that the artificial stone slabs that later entered the market were 'uniquely toxic'. These highly engineered crystalline silica artificial stone slabs were marketed as "not hazardous" and "natural."

The jury deliberated on plaintiffs' claims of product liability design defect and failure to warn. The jury rejected the defendants' various "blame the employer" affirmative defenses of sophisticated intermediary, reliance on knowledgeable intermediary, product misuse, and third-party superseding cause.

The jury's damages findings were economic damages of $2,400,000, and non-economic damages of $ 4,700,000. Dal-Tile Distribution, LLC and Dal-Tile Tennessee, LLC were found to be 2% at fault, and Paragon Industries Inc. was found to be 1% at fault.

The plaintiffs were represented at trial by Heather-Ann Young and Diksha Chhetri of Brayton Purcell LLP.

The Dal-Tile entities were represented by Dustin Priebe, Ashley Nagashima and Waverly Shannon of Foley Mansfield PLLP. Paragon Industries, Inc. was represented by Timothy Heggem and Gina Goldberg of Theadora Oringher PC.

Plaintiffs' experts were Mr. Aki Vourakis (fabrication specialist), Dr. Michael Ellenbecker, CIH (certified industrial hygienist), Dr. Mark Nicas, CIH (certified industrial hygienist), Dr. David Ross, M.D. (lung transplant specialist), Dr. Andrew McClintock Greenberg, M.D. (pulmonologist), Dr. Richard Cohen (occupational medicine and epidemiology) and Barry Ben-Zion (forensic economist).

Defendants' experts were Jacob Persky, CIH (certified industrial hygienist) and Brian Daly, CIH (certified industrial hygienist).

The jury determined that artificial stone slabs made from high content (at least 90%) crystalline silica, with their mix of toxic metals and resins, are a defective product.

Throughout the trial, plaintiffs' counsel explained that other manufacturers and suppliers were negligent and their products were defective, but that did not somehow absolve the Dal-Tile entities and Paragon Industries, Inc. for partial responsibility for their role in contributing to Mr. Ramirez-Soriano's disease and premature death. The trial was about accountability. Under the law, it is no defense that others were also negligent. The jurors also found that the others (manufacturers and suppliers) were 62% at fault. Many of those entities settled prior to verdict.

Dal-Tile began distributing crystalline silica artificial stone slabs in 2006, and despite knowledge of the 'uniquely toxic' risks of artificial stone, did not affix any warning label until 2023. Paragon Industries, Inc. began distributing crystalline silica artificial stone slabs in 2010, and despite knowledge of the risks related to crystalline silica, did not affix any warning label until 2016.

In 2025, Dal-Tile began manufacturing a non-toxic, otherwise nearly identical product called Purevana, yet continues to sell their 'uniquely toxic' OneQuartz product. Similarly, in 2025 Paragon Industries began distributing Nouvel, a low-silica containing artificial stone, but still tried to defend their high-content defective product.

Both the Dal-Tile entities and Paragon Industries attempted to blame the decedent for product misuse for using dry cutting as one step in the fabrication process. It was an uphill battle to get evidence of Paragon Industries Inc.'s own in-house stone fabrication shop (in operation since at least 2000) before the jury. Paragon's lawyers fought hard to keep this information out. Ultimately, the jury learned about Paragon's in-house Fresno fabrication shop and internal Silica Exposure Control Plan that acknowledge their own use of dry cutting.

The Ramirez-Soriano trial was one of the first of many hundreds for young artificial stone countertop fabrication workers who have developed fatal artificial stone silicosis from just a few years of exposure to 'uniquely toxic' artificial stone.

"Dal-Tile Distribution LLC, Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC and Paragon Industries, Inc. spent the entire trial pointing the blame onto other manufacturers and suppliers of crystalline silica artificial stone slabs, as well as the decedent, and refused to accept responsibility for their role," said Heather-Ann Young of Brayton Purcell LLP. "The jury saw past the Dal-Tile corporate shell game and the hypocrisy of Paragon Industries Inc. The jury forced them to be accountable."

"The jury's verdict sent out a message, loud and clear again. The manufacturers and suppliers of this toxic product need to start choosing people over profits," said Diksha Chhetri of Brayton Purcell LLP.

James Nevin, partner at Brayton Purcell LLP, said, "Despite being precluded from hearing evidence that SafeWork Australia and Cal-OSHA have both determined that crystalline silica artificial stone is so 'uniquely toxic' that it cannot be fabricated safely by human being workers, the jury after learning the medical science came to that same conclusion."

For additional information regarding this verdict, contact:

James P. Nevin, Esq.
Brayton Purcell LLP
(415) 493-3531
[email protected]

For media inquiries, contact:

Nolan Lowry
Brayton Purcell LLP
(415) 399-3701
[email protected]

SOURCE Brayton Purcell LLP