NOVATO, Calif., April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A growing wave of lawsuits brought by countertop fabrication workers suffering from severe, often fatal silicosis has exposed what veteran toxic tort trial lawyer James Nevin describes as a "public health disaster decades in the making," with striking parallels to asbestos litigation.

In a recent in-depth interview with Corporate Crime Reporter, Nevin — who has spent more than 25 years litigating asbestos, mesothelioma, and other occupational disease cases — detailed how crystalline silica artificial stone, commonly used for kitchen and bathroom countertops, has triggered a nationwide epidemic of silicosis among fabrication workers.

"Despite decades of experience handling occupational disease cases, I had never heard of artificial stone silicosis until 2022," Nevin said. "Once we investigated what the companies knew and when they knew it, it quickly became clear that this was asbestos all over again."

Crystalline silica artificial stone, sometimes marketed as engineered or manufactured stone, is made by crushing quartz into ultra fine, nano sized crystalline silica flour. That silica is then combined with toxic resins, metals, and chemical binders to produce slabs that often contain around 95 percent crystalline silica. When fabricated — cut, ground, polished, and installed — the material releases airborne silica particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and cause permanent damage.

According to Nevin, the danger is not limited to outdated or poorly equipped shops. "We are seeing silicosis in state-of-the-art, multi million dollar fabrication facilities that follow industry standards and use wet cutting techniques," he said. "Wet cutting does not eliminate exposure when the product itself is overwhelmingly silica and nano sized."

The disease has hit hardest in small, family run fabrication shops, where owners frequently work alongside fathers, sons, brothers, and cousins. The workforce is largely immigrant, non unionized, and often uninsured. In some communities, entire families have seen multiple members diagnosed with silicosis.

Public health authorities in California have confirmed hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths, and Nevin says the numbers are climbing nationwide. His firm alone has filed or is evaluating hundreds of cases across more than 20 states, with California at the epicenter.

Litigation has accelerated rapidly. More than 400 cases have already been filed in California, with additional cases pending across the country. The first trial to reach a jury resulted in a $52 million verdict, and aggregate settlements and verdicts in artificial stone silicosis cases are now approaching $250 million.

"These are young workers — some in their twenties and thirties — facing lung transplants, permanent disability, and shortened life expectancy," Nevin said. "The medical costs alone can reach tens of millions of dollars over a lifetime."

As the litigation matures, Nevin expects juries to soon consider punitive damages, based on evidence that manufacturers were aware of the hazards associated with artificial stone long before workers became sick.

"This litigation is only beginning," Nevin said. "The human toll is staggering, and accountability is long overdue."

Media contact: Nolan Lowry, Nlowry@braytonlaw.com, (145) 399-3107

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SOURCE Brayton Purcell LLP