NOVATO, Calif., Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Brayton Purcell LLP announced today that the firm has secured almost $200 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of countertop fabrication workers diagnosed with accelerated silicosis caused by crystalline silica artificial stone used to make popular kitchen and bathroom countertops. These countertops are made from material that typically contains over 90 percent crystalline silica in very fine nano‑sized particles. The products also contain heavy metals, resins and glues which release toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when fabricated.

These recoveries include the historic $52.4 million verdict returned by a Southern California jury to Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez, more than $26 million in confidential settlements obtained for another fabrication worker with artificial stone silicosis, along with large settlements for a few other workers. Together, they reflect the severe and irreversible harm caused by respirable crystalline silica and other toxins released during the cutting, grinding, and polishing of crystalline silica artificial stone.

Artificial stone silicosis continues to devastate workers and families across multiple states. Unlike traditional chronic silicosis contracted through mining, sandblasting and other hazardous professions, this modern form progresses rapidly, often appearing after only months or a few years of exposure. Workers affected by the disease face profound medical challenges, including extensive lung scarring, oxygen dependence, and, in the most severe cases, the need for lung transplantation. Many are relatively young, with careers and family responsibilities cut short by a preventable exposure hazard. The disease is incurable and fatal.

A Public Health Crisis Intensifying Across California

State surveillance programs continue to document rising numbers of confirmed artificial stone silicosis cases throughout California. Hundreds of workers have been diagnosed, many in their thirties and forties, and dozens have undergone lung transplantation due to permanent respiratory failure.

Reports show that over half of the 1,342 fabrication shops identified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have at least one confirmed case of silicosis. Many affected workers have spent years fabricating both natural stone and artificial stone, but illness developed only after crystalline silica artificial stone slabs were introduced into their workplaces for fabrication into the countertops we see throughout homes and commercial buildings today. This reflects the unique toxicity of the artificial stone material, which generates nano‑sized crystalline silica particles, metals, and other toxins that traditional safety controls cannot mitigate.

WOEMA Petition to Cal/OSHA Highlights Urgent Medical Concerns

In December 2025, the Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association (WOEMA), a respected medical association representing more than 600 occupational medicine physicians across multiple western states, submitted a petition to the Cal OSHA Standards Board urging immediate action regarding artificial stone.

The petition, presented on December 18, 2025, calls for a prohibition on artificial stone products containing more than one percent crystalline silica. WOEMA based its petition on extensive medical data showing that:

• Artificial stone contains at least 90 percent crystalline silica in nano‑sized particle form
• The remaining materials include VOCs and toxic additives that increase biological harm
• Silicosis cases have been confirmed at an alarming rate, including workers as young as 24
• Disease progression is significantly faster than historical patterns
• Traditional engineering controls, including wet cutting, ventilation, and personal protective equipment (PPE), have not succeeded in reducing exposure to safe levels

Physicians emphasized that artificial stone silicosis continues to emerge even in shops that employ multiple layers of dust suppression in compliance with the CAL-OSHA standards, underscoring that the hazard is intrinsic to the material itself.

National Attention: Congressional Debate Over H.R. 5437

On January 14, 2026, the House Judiciary Subcommittee convened a hearing on the proposed legislation known as H.R. 5437 — the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Stone Slab Products Act. This bailout bill would provide sweeping immunity to manufacturers and distributors of crystalline silica artificial stone slabs from state and federal civil claims related to injuries or illnesses caused by their products.

At the hearing, medical experts, worker advocates, and public health professionals raised substantial concerns, noting:

• Artificial stone contains extremely high concentrations of crystalline silica, far exceeding natural stone
• Cutting and polishing the material releases nano‑sized particles that overwhelm standard safety controls
• Artificial stone silicosis has affected hundreds of workers across California alone
• More than half of countertop fabrication shops in the state have reported confirmed cases of silicosis
• Artificial stone cannot be fabricated safely by human beings
• Eliminating accountability could further endanger workers by preventing families from seeking compensation or justice and removing the pressure for manufacturers to stop selling the uniquely toxic product.

Economic, medical, and ethical considerations were discussed at length, with stakeholders emphasizing that no existing engineering controls can reliably prevent respirable crystalline silica exposure during artificial stone fabrication.

A Continuing Commitment to Workers and Families

Brayton Purcell LLP represents more than 700 artificial stone workers and their families. Many clients face lifelong medical care needs, inability to continue working, and significant financial strain due to their illness. The firm continues to support workers seeking answers and pursuing justice for the harm caused by this material.

"Our legal team remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that workers affected by artificial stone silicosis have the opportunity to pursue accountability," said partner James Nevin, who manages the firm's artificial stone litigation practice. "The impact on these workers and their families is profound, and their voices deserve to be heard."

The firm continues to pursue cases across the country, reflecting the widespread and continuing emergence of this occupational health crisis. We assertively advocate for the banning of crystalline silica artificial stone in our efforts to protect workers from artificial stone silicosis--an incurable and entirely preventable disease. Australia's ban of the product in 2024 demonstrates that switching to safer products would not result in job loss and would not impose significant economic burdens on suppliers, fabricators, or customers, since existing dust control methods would remain applicable and the U.S. market could quickly switch to safer products.

About Brayton Purcell LLP

Brayton Purcell LLP is a nationally recognized law firm with decades of experience representing individuals and families affected by occupational disease, including silicosis. The firm remains committed to providing outstanding legal representation to workers harmed by exposure to toxic substances.

Media Contact:
Nolan Lowry
nlowry@braytonlaw.com
415-399-3107

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SOURCE Brayton Purcell LLP