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Cosentino and Silicosis Lawsuits: A Closer Look

In 2016 and 2017 there were two legal cases involving Cosentino, a manufacturer of artificial stone countertops, and allegations of worker lung disease linked to silica exposure.

Ublester Rodriguez Case:

• Rodriguez, a countertop cutter, developed severe silicosis after 10 years working with Cosentino's Silestone, a quartz-based material.
• He alleges his employer, a Cosentino distributor, failed to adequately inform him about Silestone's composition and silica hazards.
• Air quality tests showed workplace silica levels exceeding legal limits, despite safety measures like wet grinding and ventilation.
• Rodriguez sued his employer and Cosentino in 2016, reaching a confidential settlement with no admission of liability.

Martin Mendiola Case:

• Mendiola, a lifelong non-smoker, was diagnosed with COPD in 2015 after working with Silestone at different companies for over 35 years.
• He alleges his employers and Cosentino concealed the dangers of silica exposure and failed to provide adequate respiratory protection.
• Mendiola sued his employers and named Cosentino as a "doe defendant" in 2017, later served at a Cosentino Center in Los Angeles.
• Cosentino successfully challenged the service of the complaint due to technicalities, but acknowledged receiving it.

Both cases raise concerns about potential health risks associated with Silestone dust and worker safety practices.