Episode 6: The Horrific Impact of Artificial Stone Silicosis

In this compelling episode of From Dust to Verdict, host James Nevin, partner at Brayton Purcell LLP, dives deep into the “verdict” side of the podcast’s title—why juries assess multi-million-dollar verdicts for countertop fabricators harmed by artificial stone silicosis.

James revisits the groundbreaking first plaintiff’s trial, where a jury awarded $52 million to artificial stone fabricator Gustavo Reyes González, and explains how this case set the stage for other cases settling for tens of millions more. He unpacks the medical evidence presented at trial, focusing on the devastating realities of accelerated silicosis—a disease that leaves workers gasping for air, tethered to oxygen tanks, and facing the grim prospect of lung transplants that only extend life by a few years.

Through clear explanations, James outlines how artificial stone differs from natural stone: its nano-sized silica particles and toxic resins overwhelm the body’s defenses, destroying lung tissue at an alarming rate. Unlike the chronic silicosis of past decades, which took years to develop, today’s artificial stone fabricators can fall ill within just a few years—or even months—of exposure. He also explores the various stages of silicosis, from early symptoms to the advanced scarring and fluid buildup that literally leave workers suffocating (and drowning) from within.

Listeners will gain insight into:

• The shocking contrast between the near eradication of silicosis in natural stone workers by the 1980s and the surge of cases allegedly tied to artificial stone since 2010.
• Why even sophisticated fabrication shops with prescribed safety controls in place are seeing high rates of disease.
• The legal and moral reasons a jury decided that manufacturers and suppliers must pay significant damages.
• How accelerated silicosis represents not just an occupational hazard, but an entirely man-made epidemic allegedly created by companies prioritizing profit over people.

This episode is a must-listen for workers, advocates, legal professionals, and anyone concerned about the safety of workers. It’s both a medical primer and a legal exposé, underscoring the urgent need for accountability, transparency, and reform in a manufacturing industry that has placed thousands of fabrication worker lives at risk.