A St. Louis County Jury awarded Gleeson Asphalt Inc. a $109 million verdict on May 15, 2025 after Simon Law attorneys proved one of its suppliers misrepresented the quality and gradation of its base rock that led to failures at two surface parking lots.
The jury deliberated after a four-day trial before St. Louis County Judge David Vincent for two hours before delivering its verdict against LaFarge North America. The jury awarded $942, 935.95 in compensatory damages and $108,300,000 in punitive damages.
“We gave the jury the exact amount our client lost in profits and the cost of redoing the parking lots, and they awarded what we were asking for to the penny,” said Simon Law lead attorney Kevin Carnie Jr. “I think the jury sent a loud and clear message about what they thought of the defendant’s conduct”
Simon Law Attorney Patrick McPhail noted the jury was unanimous in its rulings in favor of Simon Law’s client on all six counts against LaFarge. Only a three-fourths majority is required in civil litigation.
“This was a very detailed case involving a lot of technical terms as it involved rock, engineering principles and some other technical construction terms,” McPhail said. “We appreciate the time the jurors took to really listen to the evidence in this case and deliver justice. It’s cases like these that can really restore faith in our justice system.”
Simon Law attorneys filed the lawsuit in 2019 – not long after Gleeson discovered that two parking lots developed ruts and had to be completely redone. Gleeson discovered the base rock – which is laid before asphalt to anchor it – it bought from LaFarge was a lower quality than what Gleeson ordered for the projects.
“The quarry didn’t have the kind base rock our client ordered, and just gave them this inferior product instead trying to pass it off as something else,” Carnie said. “LaFarge represented that it met the specs Gleeson had ordered.”
The parking lots were in St. Charles County and St. Louis County.
The defense told jurors the whole issue was nothing more than a miscommunication.
In closing, McPhail addressed that defense.
“This is about so much more than just the fate of Gleeson Asphalt,” McPhail said. “I hope you all don’t think you’ve just sat through the last few days because we’re just here about rock.
“This week, you’ve witnessed brazen admissions of corporate fraud. It’s like they’re proud of this. Considering it’s coming from one of the biggest corporations in the world, it’s difficult to find the right word to describe what you saw. But I think I have one for you: outrageous.”
McPhail continued: “It’s outrageous that Lafarge sold a product knowing that it simply was not what it claimed it to be. It’s outrageous that Lafarge told you it was OK because everyone knows their type 5 wasn’t type 5, but then they didn’t present you with a single person or company that would back up that claim. And it’s outrageous that Lafarge would come in here, knowing that we were going to play those videotaped admissions, and tell you in opening statement that this was a simple misunderstanding. We’re not just here about rock. We’re here to ask you to do something about this outrageous conduct.”
This is the fourth nine-figure verdict Simon Law has won for its clients in less than two years, totaling nearly $2 billion. The St. Louis-based personal injury and business litigation firm has secured billions for clients in verdicts and settlements since its founding in 2001, and has been named one of the “winningest firms” in the U.S. by The National Law Journal.
Media Contact:
Christine Byers
Simon Law Director of Marketing & Communications
cbyers@simonlawpc.com
