A Los Angeles County jury assigned Caesarstone Ltd. and Caesarstone USA, Inc. a combined 69.1% of the fault in a silicosis case. Caesarstone estimated the apportioned damages at $46.5 million if assessed without modification.
Caesarstone disclosed the verdict in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company put total damages at about $67.3 million and estimated its portion at about $46.5 million if assessed without modification. Caesarstone said it was reviewing its options. The filing refers to possible post-trial remedies and an appeal but does not say either has been filed.
Brayton Purcell LLP, the plaintiff’s law firm, reported a total of $67.716 million. Its breakdown was $7.25 million in economic damages and $60 million in noneconomic damages, plus $466,000 in stipulated damages that the firm said a judge was to add after the verdict. Caesarstone’s filing does not mention that additional sum.
The verdict in favor of countertop fabricator Dennys Rene Rivas Williams was returned Oct. 26. Brayton Purcell reported that Rivas Williams worked at Primus Marble from 2015 through 2022, was diagnosed with silicosis in 2022 at age 35 and received a double-lung transplant in 2024 at age 37.
Caesarstone’s filing says the case is part of a coordinated California proceeding involving silicosis lawsuits. The company said it faces multiple claims alleging fabricators developed illnesses after exposure to silica in its products.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) say cutting, grinding or polishing stone can expose countertop workers to respirable crystalline silica. The agencies say silicosis cannot be cured, worsens over time and can be fatal.
