{"id":270130,"date":"2025-03-12T11:20:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T15:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/english-landmark-results-against-artificial-stone-manufacturers-total-over-78-million-for-workers-with-fatal-silicosis\/"},"modified":"2025-03-12T11:40:02","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T15:40:02","slug":"los-resultados-historicos-contra-los-fabricantes-de-piedras-artificiales-suman-mas-de-78-millones-de-dolares-para-los-trabajadores-con-silicosis-fatal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/los-resultados-historicos-contra-los-fabricantes-de-piedras-artificiales-suman-mas-de-78-millones-de-dolares-para-los-trabajadores-con-silicosis-fatal\/","title":{"rendered":"Landmark Results Against Artificial Stone Manufacturers Total Over $78 Million for Workers with Fatal Silicosis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><![CDATA[\n\/* Style Definitions *\/\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n]]><\/style>\n<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><span class=\"legendSpanClass\"><span class=\"xn-location\">LOS ANGELES<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"legendSpanClass\"><span class=\"xn-chron\">March 12, 2025<\/span><\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; Brayton Purcell LLP has secured the first two major legal victories on behalf of artificial stone fabrication workers suffering from <b>accelerated silicosis<\/b>, an incurable and fatal lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust from artificial stone slabs. The cases, <b><span class=\"xn-person\">Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez<\/span> v. Caesarstone <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span>, Cambria Company LLC, Color Marble, Inc., et al.<\/b>, and<b> Anonymous v. Caesarstone <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span>, Cambria Company LLC, EIDP, Inc., Francini, Inc., et al.<\/b> resulted in combined settlements and verdicts exceeding <b><span class=\"xn-money\">$78 million<\/span><\/b>, highlighting the severe health risks associated with artificial stone fabrication.<\/p>\n<div id=\"prni_dvprnejpgb46cleft\" dir=\"ltr\" style=\"width: 100%; text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"prnejpgb46cleft\" title=\"Brayton Purcell, LLP--Attorneys Helping People Providing excellent service to our clients is the highest goal of Brayton Purcell LLP. We pledge to work ceaselessly on your behalf, providing exceptional advocacy and unparalleled responsiveness. The compassion for and dedication to our clients can be witnessed both in and out of the courtroom. With compassion, dedication and a fierce pursuit of justice, we have secured record rulings for victims of diseases caused by the failure of manufacturers.\" src=\"https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2389282\/bp_blue_logo_Logo.jpg\" alt=\"Brayton Purcell, LLP--Attorneys Helping People Providing excellent service to our clients is the highest goal of Brayton Purcell LLP. We pledge to work ceaselessly on your behalf, providing exceptional advocacy and unparalleled responsiveness. The compassion for and dedication to our clients can be witnessed both in and out of the courtroom. With compassion, dedication and a fierce pursuit of justice, we have secured record rulings for victims of diseases caused by the failure of manufacturers.\" align=\"middle\"\/><\/div>\n<p><b><span class=\"xn-money\">$26 Million<\/span> Settlement for Plaintiff with Silicosis and Pulmonary Massive Fibrosis<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In <span class=\"xn-chron\">April 2025<\/span>, in Anonymous v.\u00a0Caesarstone, <span class=\"xn-location\">U.S.A.<\/span>, et al., Brayton Purcell LLP&#8217;s client, a 51-year-old oxygen-dependent stone slab fabricator with accelerated complicated silicosis and pulmonary massive fibrosis (PMF) received confidential settlements from slab manufacturer and supplier defendants exceeding <span class=\"xn-money\">$26 million<\/span> during jury selection at trial in the Superior Court of <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Los Angeles County<\/span>. The plaintiff had worked for over two decades (2000\u20132022) fabricating natural and artificial stone slabs for use in kitchen and bathroom countertops. His exposure occurred while working at multiple fabrication shops in <span class=\"xn-location\">Sun Valley<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Burbank<\/span>, and <span class=\"xn-location\">Los Angeles, California<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Despite OSHA regulations, there is no safe way to fabricate artificial stone, as even wet-cutting techniques and respirators fail to eliminate silica dust exposure. The plaintiff, now awaiting a lung transplant, is one of thousands of workers suffering from this entirely preventable disease.<\/p>\n<p><b>Historic <span class=\"xn-money\">$52.4 Million<\/span> Verdict in <span class=\"xn-person\">Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez<\/span> v. Caesarstone <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span>, Inc., et al.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In a groundbreaking six-week trial ending in <span class=\"xn-chron\">August 2024<\/span>, 34-year-old <span class=\"xn-person\">Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez<\/span>, represented by Brayton Purcell LLP, obtained a <span class=\"xn-money\">$52,437,366<\/span> verdict against artificial stone manufacturers Caesarstone <span class=\"xn-location\">USA<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Cambria<\/span>, and Color Marble. This verdict\u2014the first, largest, and only verdict of its kind in U.S. history\u2014exposes the catastrophic dangers of artificial stone fabrication and the fatal consequences for workers. All post-trial motions have been resolved and the case is now under appeal.<\/p>\n<p><b>Severe Health Consequences for Young Workers<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-person\">Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez<\/span>, an immigrant from <span class=\"xn-location\">Mexico<\/span>, spent 15 years working in stone fabrication shops across <span class=\"xn-location\">Los Angeles<\/span> and <span class=\"xn-location\">Orange County<\/span>, cutting and polishing artificial stone slabs for homes, hotels, hospitals, and commercial buildings. By age 33, he developed accelerated silicosis, leading to a double lung transplant at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.<\/p>\n<p>Medical experts warn that lung transplants only last an average of five years, meaning Gustavo will require multiple transplants to survive. His case underscores the devastating impact of artificial stone fabrication, especially for younger workers exposed to high volumes of respirable silica dust.<\/p>\n<p><b>Brayton Purcell LLP&#8217;s Response to Landmark Decisions<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b><span class=\"xn-person\">James Nevin<\/span>, partner at Brayton Purcell LLP<\/b>, managing the firms artificial stone litigation practice, emphasized the industry-wide implications:<\/p>\n<p><i>&#8220;This is the first of hundreds of trials, and the message is clear\u2014artificial stone slab manufacturers must stop selling these deadly fashion products. The health and lives of these young fabrication workers are far more important than corporate profits.\u00a0 On behalf of <span class=\"xn-person\">Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez<\/span> and our entire legal team, we want to thank the jury for their courageous verdict. These workers deserve justice, and today, their voices were heard.&#8221;<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>The Growing Silicosis Epidemic in Artificial Stone Workers<\/b><\/p>\n<p>These cases shine a spotlight on an escalating public health crisis. Artificial stone contains up to 95% silica, compared to as little as 3% in some natural stone. Cutting and fabricating these slabs releases highly toxic nano-sized silica dust, which is easily inhaled despite protective measures.<\/p>\n<p>The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) maintains a dashboard on this epidemic at <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4380017-1&amp;h=840061422&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdph.ca.gov%2FPrograms%2FCCDPHP%2FDEODC%2FOHB%2FPages%2Fessdashboard.aspx&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdph.ca.gov%2FPrograms%2FCCDPHP%2FDEODC%2FOHB%2FPages%2Fessdashboard.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.cdph.ca.gov\/Programs\/CCDPHP\/DEODC\/OHB\/Pages\/essdashboard.aspx<\/a>\u00a0 They currently note there are 253 confirmed cases in <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span> alone, with 15 deaths.\u00a0 The median age of the workers is only 46.\u00a0 CA and other state health authorities are trying to keep up.\u00a0 At Brayton Purcell LLP, we present more than 350 fabrication workers with silicosis and their families.\u00a0 As this epidemic continues, confirmed cases and deaths steadily rise.<\/p>\n<p>In <span class=\"xn-location\">Australia<\/span>, the government has already banned engineered stone entirely, acknowledging that it cannot be fabricated safely. U.S. experts are now urging similar action to prevent more worker fatalities.<\/p>\n<p><b>What This Verdict and Settlements Mean for the Future of Artificial Stone<\/b><\/p>\n<p>These historic legal outcomes send a powerful message to the artificial stone industry: workers&#8217; lives cannot be sacrificed for profits. With over 350 workers represented by Brayton Purcell LLP and hundreds of cases pending, this is just the beginning of a wave of litigation against artificial stone manufacturers.<\/p>\n<p><b>A Call for Industry Change<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The verdict in <span class=\"xn-person\">Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez&#8217;s<\/span> case and the recent settlements of over <span class=\"xn-money\">$26 million<\/span> to a 51-year-old stone fabrication worker are expected to influence future lawsuits, regulatory changes, and calls for banning artificial stone in the U.S. Public health experts, worker safety advocates, and legal teams agree:<\/p>\n<p>The only way to truly protect fabrication workers is for the slab manufacturers and suppliers to stop making and selling artificial stone slabs.<\/p>\n<p><b>Contact Information<\/b><\/p>\n<p>For media inquiries or further information about these cases, please contact:<\/p>\n<p><b>Brayton Purcell LLP<\/b><br \/>Phone: <b>(800) 598-0314<\/b><br \/>Email: <a href=\"mailto:nlowry@braytonlaw.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">nlowry@braytonlaw.com<\/a><br \/>Website: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.braytonlaw.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.braytonlaw.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>About\u00a0Brayton Purcell LLP<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Brayton Purcell LLP is a nationally recognized law firm specializing in occupational disease litigation, including asbestos and silica-related illnesses. With decades of experience representing workers exposed to toxic substances, the firm remains committed to securing justice for victims of workplace-related diseases.<\/p>\n<p>Logo &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4380017-1&amp;h=3601735530&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2389282%2Fbp_blue_logo_Logo.jpg&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2389282%2Fbp_blue_logo_Logo.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2389282\/bp_blue_logo_Logo.jpg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>SOURCE  Brayton Purcell LLP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><span class=\"legendSpanClass\"><span class=\"xn-location\">LOS ANGELES<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"legendSpanClass\"><span class=\"xn-chron\">March 12, 2025<\/span><\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; Brayton Purcell LLP has secured the first two major legal victories on behalf of artificial stone fabrication workers suffering from <b>accelerated silicosis<\/b>, an incurable and fatal lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust from artificial stone slabs. The cases, <b><span class=\"xn-person\">Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez<\/span> v. Caesarstone &lt;span&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":270131,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-270130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-salud"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/270130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=270130"}],"version-history":[{"count":"1","href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/270130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":270132,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/270130\/revisions\/270132"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/270131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=270130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=270130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=270130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}