Quartz Countertops Silicosis Lawsuit Filed By Engineered Stone Cutter and Installer

Stone cutter developed silicosis after breathing silica dust from quartz countertops, and now faces an increased risk of lung cancer, organ damage.

A California man has filed a silicosis lawsuit against several quartz countertop manufacturers and distributors, alleging that the companies failed to provide sufficient warnings about the dangers of inhaling silica dust while cutting, fabricating or installing the engineered stone products.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Fernando Abrego Perez in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of San Francisco on October 22, indicating that he developed silicosis, pulmonary fibrosis and other lung injuries after being exposed to silica dust released from quartz countertops throughout his career as a stone cutter.

Silicosis from quartz countertops is an irreversible and often deadly respiratory condition caused by breathing in silica, a chemical compound that is mixed with naturally occurring quartz to make countertops. It often begins with lung inflammation and scarring, and eventually progresses to lung failure.

Fabricated quartz countertops, also referred to as “engineered stone,” pose a significant silicosis hazard for workers because they are exposed to a large volume of silica dust, data shows. In addition to silicosis risks among quartz countertop workers, previous research has also linked silica dust inhalation to lung cancer.

As a result of the growing body of research linking the cutting of quartz countertops to silicosis, lawsuits are now being pursued by workers throughout the U.S., each raising similar allegations that manufacturers and distributors of the engineered stone products failed to adequately warn about the long-term health risks from breathing silica dust.

Perez indicates that he worked as a cutter fabricator and installer of engineered stone products in Northern California from 1992 to 2021, where he routinely engaged in the precise and labor-intensive tasks of cutting, grinding, drilling, and polishing various stone materials to create countertops for both residential homes and commercial buildings.

The complaint states that Perez’s continuous inhalation of silica and other toxic dusts released by engineered stone products caused him to develop severe health issues, including silicosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary nodules, progressive massive fibrosis and other critical lung damages that required multiple medical treatments, including a lung biopsy.

Perez further states the conditions he has developed from the exposure to silica dust have significantly increased his risk of developing other diseases, such as lung cancer, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

The quartz countertop silicosis lawsuit indicates that the manufacturers and distributors of engineered stone named as defendants bore a legal and ethical responsibility to adequately warn and disclose the products contained high levels of respirable crystalline silica, along with other harmful metals and volatile organic compounds.

Perez alleges that the companies’ failure to provide essential safety information and instructions on protective measures directly led to his severe and life-altering injuries from inhaling toxic dust.

The complaint presents claims of negligence, failure to warn, design defects, fraudulent concealment and breach of implied warranties against Caesarstone Ltd, Cambria Company LLC, Cosentino SA, Home Depot U.S.A. Inc., Lowes Home Centers LLC and many others. Perez seeks damages against the defendants for past, current and future medical expenses, as well as lost wages and punitive damages.

Silicosis Lawsuits Over Quartz Countertop Dust Exposure

The lawsuit joins a growing number of silicosis lawsuits that have been filed in recent years against engineered stone distributors and manufacturers, each raising similar allegations that workers have been left with life-threatening lung diseases and injuries as a result of the company’s failure to warn about silica dust inhalation side effects.

Lawsuits also indicate that steps could have been taken to reduce the risk for countertop workers, to minimize exposure to silica dust while fabricating, cutting and installing the artificial stone products.

In several silicosis lawsuits that have gone to trial in recent years, stone cutters and fabricators have been awarded large silicosis lawsuit payouts by juries. Notably, a trial in August 2024 culminated in a jury awarding a stone fabricator who developed silicosis a $52.4 million verdict against Caesarstone, Cambria and Color Marble.

Silicosis lawyers provide free consultations and claim evaluations for quartz countertop workers who have been left with devastating and life-changing injuries. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.