$25 Million Verdict Against American Biltrite for Asbestos Floor Tiles That Caused Mesothelioma

For years, the plaintiff worked as a flooring installer, regularly cutting, fitting, and removing American Biltrite's Amtico-brand floor tiles. The tiles contained asbestos, and the work generated fine dust that he breathed in day after day. He later developed mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos exposure.

Weitz and Luxenberg attorneys Brittany Russell and Pierre Ratzki tried the case before Justice Judy J. Kim in New York County Supreme Court, part of the New York City Asbestos Litigation (NYCAL) docket. The central question at trial was not only whether the tiles caused the illness, but whether American Biltrite had any legitimate reason to keep selling asbestos tiles in the first place.

The plaintiff's team introduced a 1981 patent showing that American Biltrite had already developed the ability to manufacture a non-asbestos floor tile using the same equipment and production process it used for its asbestos version. The company had a workable path to a safer product and chose not to take it. That evidence drove the punitive damages claim.

On April 29, 2026, the jury returned a verdict of $25 million. The compensatory portion totaled $20 million: $10 million for past pain and suffering and $10 million for future pain and suffering. The jury added $5 million in punitive damages against American Biltrite. Following the verdict, American Biltrite asked the court to stay entry of judgment pending resolution of post-trial motions. As of the time of publication, no reduction or appeal ruling had been reported.