Brayton Purcell LLP Responds to Surge in Silicosis Among Stone Countertop Fabricators

Leading occupational disease plaintiff’s firm represents nearly 500 workers allegedly harmed by artificial stone dust

NOVATO, CA, UNITED STATES, August 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A growing number of artificial stone fabrication workers throughout the U.S. are being diagnosed with accelerated artificial stone silicosis, a serious, irreversible, and fatal lung disease that is allegedly linked to the fabrication of artificial stone slabs. Brayton Purcell LLP, one of the country’s preeminent plaintiff’s law firms, with over 40 years of experience in occupational disease litigation, now represents nearly 500 individuals affected by this occupational health crisis.

“Many of our clients are under 40. One was just 26 when he needed a lung transplant,” said James Nevin, Partner at Brayton Purcell LLP. “This is not just tragic, it’s preventable.”

A New and Aggressive Form of Silicosis

Unlike the chronic form of silicosis seen in miners or sandblasters after decades of working in hazardous conditions, accelerated silicosis develops after only a few years, or even months or weeks, of working with artificial stone. The engineered material often contains up to 95 percent nano-sized crystalline silica particles, which are easily inhaled during cutting, grinding and polishing.

Although many fabrication shops routinely use protective gear such as wet saws, exhaust ventilation, and N95 masks, peer-reviewed studies and state and federal health data suggest these measures do not effectively reduce exposure levels to within safe limits. There is no economically feasible way for workers to be protected from inhaling the nano-sized silica particles when fabricating artificial stone.
“Even in shops using so-called best practices, workers are still getting sick,” Nevin noted. “The traditional safeguards simply aren’t enough for this new material.”

The Human Toll

Many of the affected workers are undocumented Latino men in California cities like Anaheim, San Fernando, Sun Valley and Sacramento. They often work in small, family-run shops with limited access to healthcare. Language barriers and inadequate safety information from stone slab product manufacturers and suppliers may delay diagnosis and treatment until symptoms become severe.

“These workers are artisans. They take pride in their craft,” Nevin said. “But they are being placed in harm’s way by the slab manufacturers and suppliers, without being warned of the risks.”

Legal Action Aimed at Industry Accountability

Brayton Purcell LLP is pursuing two legal avenues for affected clients: civil third-party lawsuits against the manufacturers and suppliers of artificial stone slabs, alleging negligence, product liability, and failure to warn, and workers’ compensation claims against the workers’ compensation insurance carriers, where applicable.

“There is no class action here,” said Nevin. “Each client has their own case, their own story, and their own family. We treat them that way.”

Consumer Awareness Also Needed

Nevin emphasized that education must extend beyond the workplace. “Ten years ago, I had a countertop installed and didn’t even know there was a difference between natural and artificial stone,” he said. “Now I do, and consumers deserve to know too. If more people understood the human cost, they might make different choices.”

About Brayton Purcell LLP

Brayton Purcell LLP is one of the country’s preeminent plaintiffs' law firms, with over 40 years of experience in occupational disease litigation. With offices in Northern California, Southern California, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, and New Hampshire, and affiliated local counsel in numerous other states, the firm has successfully handled thousands of complex cases involving asbestos, artificial stone silicosis, toxic exposure, and catastrophic workplace injury.

Media Contact:

Ryan O'Donnell
On Behalf of Brayton Purcell LLP
+1 403-978-6000
email us here

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