Silicosis Lawyer Leads Fight for Countertop Workers with Lung Disease

Artificial stone workers across California are being diagnosed with an incurable lung disease known as silicosis after cutting and installing engineered stone countertops. As cases of silicosis continue to rise, Los Angeles trial lawyer Camille Hunt is helping lead nationwide efforts to hold manufacturers accountable and pursue justice for workers whose lives have been permanently changed by silica dust exposure.

California is the epicenter of the rising number of silicosis cases among engineered stone workers. The deadly disease is directly linked to silica dust exposure from manufactured artificial stone countertops.

Silica Dust Exposure Attorney Leads Nationwide Efforts

Hunt, a lawyer in the Los Angeles office of Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, was a featured speaker at a recent national gathering of lung disease lawyers in which she discussed strategies for holding manufacturers and retailers of engineered countertops accountable for their failures to protect construction workers who cut, polish and install the material.

“This is a crisis that is unfolding in real time, and the tragedy is that it’s preventable,” Hunt said. “Manufacturers have known that engineered countertops can cause silicosis, and they’re putting workers in danger for one reason: profits.”

The recent Perrin Artificial Stone Silicosis Litigation Conference featured some of the nation’s leading trial lawyers and law firms devoted to representing workers exposed to silica dust and diagnosed with silicosis and other serious lung diseases. Hunt and other panelists highlighted legislative, regulatory and legal efforts to protect countertop workers from silica dust exposure.

Although the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) limits workplace exposure to crystalline silica, OSHA acknowledges that there is still a significant risk to workers at these levels. As a result, many worker advocates say the high silica content found in engineered stone products means more must be done.

Recent efforts to protect countertop workers include:

• CAL/OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (2023): Requires stricter dust-control measures, exposure monitoring and respiratory protection for workers who fabricate engineered stone.
• California Senate Bill 20: Expands workplace safety requirements involving engineered stone fabrication, including training, reporting and enforcement.
• Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association (WOEMA) proposal: Occupational health experts have urged California regulators to prohibit fabrication and installation of engineered stone because of its significant health risks. Hunt recently testified in support of stronger worker protections.

While lawmakers and regulators work to strengthen workplace protections, thousands of workers have already been exposed.

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Silicosis Lawsuits Provide Financial Relief, Justice for Countertop Workers

For many workers, a silicosis diagnosis means lifelong medical treatment, an inability to continue working and uncertainty about supporting their families. Injured workers are turning to the courts to seek compensation from companies that manufactured, distributed and sold engineered stone products.

More than 500 silicosis lawsuits have been filed in California courts, and efforts are underway to consolidate them to speed up the process.

Understanding why these workers became sick begins with understanding how silica dust damages the lungs.

What Is Silicosis?

Silicosis is a progressive lung disease caused by breathing in crystalline silica dust. Artificial or engineered stone typically contains more than 90% crystalline silica—far more than natural granite or marble. Cutting, grinding and polishing these products can release extremely fine dust particles that remain suspended in the air and can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

When workers inhale silica dust, the particles can become trapped in the small air sacs of the lungs. The body attempts to remove the particles, but the immune response can cause ongoing inflammation and the formation of scar tissue. Over time, this scarring can make the lungs stiff, reduce lung capacity and interfere with normal breathing.

Treatment can help manage silicosis symptoms and slow the impact of the disease, but there is currently no cure for silicosis. Depending on the severity of the condition, care may include medications, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation or, in the most advanced cases, a lung transplant.

As engineered stone-related illnesses continue to emerge across California and throughout the country, Hunt and the attorneys at Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel remain committed to helping workers understand their legal rights and pursue accountability from the companies responsible for exposing them to dangerous silica dust.