Table of Contents
Silicosis of a quartz countertop: who gets sick?
Do you manufacture stone countertops? Have you been diagnosed with silicosis?
In the last decade, silicosis, a progressive lung disease, has become more common among stone manufacturers, including workers who make quartz countertops. While a new study draws attention to this issue, thousands of quartz countertop workers could put themselves at risk for silicosis just by going to work.
Silicosis requires long and expensive treatment and may even require a lung transplant. Bricklayers who develop silicosis can sue their employers for compensation for medical expenses, lost income, permanent disability, and other financial losses. Family members of victims whose loved ones died from quartz countertop silicosis can also sue for wrongful death.
Meet requirements?
If you or a loved one develops silicosis after working with stone countertops, you may be eligible to participate in the Quartz Countertop Silicosis Litigation.
Fill out the form on this page for more information.
What is silicosis?
Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling small particles of silica, a mineral found in quartz, sand, and other stone materials. Long-term exposure to these particles can cause lung damage and scarring that makes breathing difficult.
Symptoms of Silicosis include a persistent cough and progressive dyspnea. care may include inhaled medications, supplemental oxygen, pulmonary rehabilitation, and, if silicosis is severe enough, lung transplantation. Unfortunately, even with the right treatment, silicosis can put people at risk for autoimmune diseases, tuberculosis, lung cancer, COPD, and kidney disease.
Silicosis is an occupational hazard for many workers who handle quartz dust, including those in the construction and mining industries. According to American Lung Association, about 2.3 million US workers are exposed to silica in the workplace. However, because silicosis takes 10 to 30 years to develop, workers may not realize they are at risk for a life-threatening disease until their lungs are damaged.
Can you get silicosis from quartz countertops?
While construction and mining are generally considered the occupations most susceptible to silicosis, stone-making workers may also be at risk of the disease. In accordance with researchers Workers at UC San Francisco and UCLA are developing silicosis at an “alarming rate”.
“The increase in cases of silicosis among stone makers over the past 10 years and the accelerated progression of the disease is changing the paradigm of a completely neglected disease in the US,” study co-author Dr. Jane Fazio, a pulmonologist at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, says.
The first case of silicosis in the US among artificial stone workers was reported in Texas in 2015. Since then, young Hispanic men in California have been reported to be the main demographic affected by quartz countertop silicosis.
One of these young men was diagnosed with progressive silicosis at only 27 years of age. New York Post reports. He started making quartz countertops at the age of 17 and even used protective gear while working in the industry. According to the New York Post, the man only realized he had advanced silicosis after he went to the emergency room for shortness of breath. Now he is waiting for a lung transplant.
Join the Quartz Countertop Silicosis Lawsuit Investigation
Stone countertop workers, especially those who work with artificial stone-like quartz, may face an increased risk of developing silicosis. An injury claim against stone countertop employers can help injured workers receive compensation for medical expenses, disability, wrongful death, and more.
If you or a loved one develops silicosis after working with stone countertops, you may be eligible to participate in the Quartz Countertop Silicosis Litigation.
Fill out the form on this page to receive a FREE assessment of your case.
