A woman exposed to asbestos from pottery clay was awarded $83 million for her mesothelioma.
A jury in Boston decided that American Art Clay Company should pay a western Massachusetts woman a substantial amount for her cancer diagnosis of mesothelioma. The jury decided that the woman’s exposure to American Art Clay Company’s asbestos-covered products led to the disease and is a reason for compensation.
Asbestos is the only cause of mesothelioma, and people exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma tumors 20-50 years after exposure. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer. The average survival is 1-2 years, and treatment options are limited.
Asbestos in Clay
Clay is a type of fine-grained soil or rock created from different minerals, chemical compounds, and the weathering and erosion of rocks. The presence of different minerals means there is potential for substances to exist in clay particles. Asbestos, which is a natural mineral found in the earth’s soil, is an example of what can be found in clay.
When artists use clay, they mix the dry form of the substance (called “slip”) with water to make it easier to work with. The mushy texture of the dry “slip” can allow sharp asbestos fibers to escape and float in the air, which clay artists or others inhale. After artists shape the clay texture, pieces may fall off and send fibers into the air.
Another possible method is exposure is artists cleaning the kiln of leftover clay slip mixture.
This case is not the first report of asbestos in clay. In 2007, the Connecticut Department of Public Health sent a letter to the state superintendent of schools about possible asbestos contamination in art clays used by students.
In New Jersey, a pottery shop owner was exposed to asbestos from clay they sold. They developed mesothelioma.
Jury Decision on Verdict
The $83 million mesothelioma verdict in the case is reportedly the largest asbestos compensation ruling ever in the state of Massachusetts.
The jury in Boston decided that American Art Clay Company must pay $60 million in punitive damages for not warning users that the products contain asbestos – or that asbestos is dangerous. Punitive damages are to punish companies for reckless and harmful acts.
The jury awarded $23 million in compensatory damages for the victim: Judith A., who died in November 2021 from mesothelioma. She received $10 million for her pain and suffering and $13 million for her death, and the loss suffered by her husband.
More About the Victim’s Asbestos Exposure
According to the lawsuit, Judith was exposed to asbestos from the 1950s through 1990s. She was exposed from her mom’s use of pottery clay. There are no other details from reports of the verdict about which American Art Clay Company products – aside from pottery clay – contain asbestos.
Asbestos was a common part of several industries, including clay, during the 1950s-1980s. By the 1980s, scientists linked asbestos to cancers like mesothelioma and most companies stopped using the mineral.
The jury ruled that American Art Clay Company officials should have known asbestos could cause health issues for users by the 1960s – yet did not stop using the mineral or warn people.
Sources & Author
- Boston Jury Returns $83 Million Asbestos-Exposure Verdict Against American Art Clay Company. CBS42. Retrieved from: https://www.cbs42.com/business/press-releases/cision/20250919DA77862/boston-jury-returns-83-million-asbestos-exposure-verdict-against-american-art-clay-company/. Accessed: 09/27/2025.
