California Jury Awards $67.7 Million to Artificial Stone Fabricator with Silicosis

A Los Angeles jury has assessed a $67,716,000 verdict in favor of Dennys Rene Rivas Williams, an artificial stone countertop fabricator diagnosed with artificial stone silicosis. The trial, presided over by Judge Michele Flurer in Long Beach, California, marked the seventh U.S. artificial stone silicosis trial handled by the law firm Brayton Purcell LLP and the sixth resulting in a verdict for plaintiffs.

According to evidence presented during the trial, Rivas Williams worked at Primus Marble in Los Angeles from 2015 to 2022. He was diagnosed with silicosis at age 35 and underwent a double-lung transplant at age 37. Medical testimony indicated his transplanted lungs are currently failing, with projections pointing toward a second double-lung transplant and subsequent health complications.

Jury Findings and Liability

• Total Verdict: $67,716,000, comprising $7,250,000 in economic damages (plus a stipulated $466,000 to be added by the judge) and $60,000,000 in noneconomic damages.
• Caesarstone Liability: The jury found Caesarstone Ltd. and Caesarstone USA, Inc. liable under California strict products liability design defect standards, assigning them a combined 69.1% responsibility.
• Other Assigned Responsibility: Primus Marble was assigned 30% responsibility, while other stone manufacturers and suppliers collectively received 0.9%.

The jury rejected Caesarstone's affirmative defense claiming that the fabrication shop conditions constituted an unforeseeable misuse of the product. The defense argued that the workplace was the sole cause of the illness, while plaintiffs' counsel maintained that the product itself was defectively designed and uniquely hazardous.

Context and Medical Background

Artificial stone, or engineered stone, typically consists of a high percentage of respirable crystalline silica combined with resins and heavy metals. Cutting, grinding, and polishing these slabs releases fine dust particles that can cause severe occupational lung diseases.

Legal representatives and public health advocates note that litigation surrounding artificial stone silicosis continues to develop across multiple jurisdictions. Parties seeking to verify case details can review court filings under Case No. 23STCV08523 in Los Angeles, or consult official announcements issued by Brayton Purcell LLP.