Jury Rules Against Stone Suppliers in Landmark Silicosis Case Brought by Countertop Worker

Los Angeles — In a landmark decision, a jury has held several stone companies liable for the severe lung disease afflicting a worker who cut stone countertops. The case, which centered on the worker’s development of silicosis, a lung ailment directly linked to the inhalation of silica dust, highlights ongoing concerns regarding workplace safety and the dangers posed by silica exposure in the stone cutting industry. The worker, whose identity has been withheld for privacy reasons, reportedly developed silicosis after years of cutting quartz and other stone materials, which are known to contain high levels … Read more

Trial of a Lifetime: Worker’s Battle with Silicosis Puts Engineered Stone Manufacturers in the Legal Spotlight

Los Angeles – Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez, a stonecutter, now breathes with the aid of transplanted lungs, his own destroyed by years of inhaling fine particles from cutting engineered stone, a popular material for countertops. His harrowing experience opens the door to a legal battle in Los Angeles County, raising urgent questions about industry responsibilities and worker safety. Reyes Gonzalez, a worker in Orange County’s fabrication shops, would spend his days slicing through slabs of the artificial stone, which, while aesthetically pleasing, contains dangerous levels of crystalline silica. Despite its durability and stain resistance, the engineered … Read more

New Developments in Silicosis Litigation: Strategies for Companies Using Silica in Manufacturing Operations

New York, NY – Dechert Re:Torts, a monthly newsletter specializing in product liability and mass torts litigation, covers various news and developments in the field. In this issue, there are several hot topics of interest, including a temporary stay order issued by Cal/OSHA for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica, the ongoing debate over opioid public nuisance claims, the ethical and legal challenges in obscured litigation funding, the inadequacy of “proxy” testing in PFAS litigation, and the increasing scrutiny on tech companies by regulators and legislators. The issue begins by addressing the growing number of … Read more