Workers’ Comp for Silicosis

Workers Comp for Silicosis in Artificial Stone Workers

Silicosis is a serious and incurable lung disease, and it is appearing at alarming rates among stone workers who cut, grind and polish engineered stone countertops. When silicosis develops from workplace exposure, California workers comp can provide medical care and disability benefits to the workers affected.

According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the state identified 592 confirmed cases of engineered stone silicosis between January 2019 and June 2026, including 31 deaths and 65 lung transplants. By September 2026, CDPH reported 644 cases to Cal/OSHA and noted that the true number is likely higher.

Because the illness develops slowly, a workers comp claim for silicosis raises questions that a typical injury claim does not. The Los Angeles area workers comp attorneys at Cantrell Green explain how these claims work, which benefits may be available, and how stone workers can protect their rights even after leaving the employer where the exposure occurred.

Silicosis Among Los Angeles Artificial Stone Workers

Engineered stone, often sold as “quartz,” can contain more than 90 percent crystalline silica, according to CDPH. Cutting, grinding, drilling and polishing these slabs releases respirable crystalline silica, tiny particles that lodge deep in the lungs of stone workers and cause permanent scarring.

Silicosis in engineered stone workers often takes an accelerated form that appears sooner and progresses faster than the traditional disease. Some stone workers develop progressive massive fibrosis, in which scar tissue builds into large masses that sharply reduce lung function and can lead to respiratory failure. CDPH reported a median age at diagnosis of 46, and the first known California case involved a countertop worker diagnosed at 32 who died at 38.

Since silicosis cannot be cured, early diagnosis and ongoing care are essential to a worker’s health and future. Workers comp benefits pay for that care, and the experienced workers comp attorneys at the law firm of Cantrell Green in the Los Angeles area help stone workers and their families secure them.

Los Angeles Stone Workers Face Significant Silicosis Risks

Los Angeles County is home to a large concentration of countertop fabrication businesses, many of them small independent shops. A study cited by the San Fernando Valley Sun found that more than 100 of the roughly 285 fabrication facilities in the county are located in the East San Fernando Valley industrial areas of Pacoima, Sun Valley, San Fernando and Van Nuys. Stone workers also fabricate and install countertops in Santa Fe Springs, Long Beach and the Gateway Cities.

As of May 15, 2026, the CDPH Engineered Stone Silicosis Surveillance Dashboard listed 288 of California’s 560 confirmed silicosis cases in Los Angeles County, just over half of the statewide total. In May 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board directed Cal/OSHA to develop a rule prohibiting work on engineered stone containing more than 1 percent crystalline silica.

Stricter rules protect stone workers going forward, although they cannot reverse silicosis caused by past exposure. This is why so many stone workers with silicosis rely on the Los Angeles area workers comp attorneys at Cantrell Green when they need help pursuing workers comp benefits.

Workers Comp Claims for Occupational Silicosis

California workers comp covers diseases that arise out of employment, not only sudden accidents. Under California Labor Code section 3208.1, a cumulative injury results from repeated workplace activities over time, which describes how silicosis develops in stone workers who breathe silica dust shift after shift.

Silicosis symptoms often appear gradually, and CDPH notes that misdiagnosis remains common. For occupational disease, Labor Code section 5412 sets the date of injury as the date the worker first suffered disability and knew, or reasonably should have known, that it was caused by work. This rule gives stone workers with silicosis a fair opportunity to file a workers comp claim even when the disease appears years after exposure began.

Stone workers frequently move between shops, and some shops close or change names. Labor Code section 5500.5 generally places liability for a silicosis workers comp claim on the employers who employed the worker during the year before the date of injury or the last date of hazardous exposure, whichever came first. Careful tracing of that work history allows the experienced workers comp attorneys at the law firm of Cantrell Green in the Los Angeles area to identify every responsible employer and insurance carrier.

Workers Comp Benefits for Stone Workers With Silicosis

Workers comp benefits for silicosis begin with medical care, including pulmonary specialists, oxygen therapy, medications and pulmonary rehabilitation. Advanced cases may require a lung transplant, and CDPH reported 65 transplants among the 592 stone workers in its recent study.

Temporary disability benefits replace part of a worker’s wages while the worker is unable to work. Labor Code section 4656 normally limits these workers comp payments to 104 weeks, but it allows up to 240 weeks within five years for conditions that include pulmonary fibrosis and chronic lung disease, which can apply to stone workers with silicosis.

Permanent disability benefits compensate for lasting lung impairment and lost earning capacity when stone workers cannot return to fabrication work. Eligible workers may also receive a Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit voucher for retraining, and dependents may receive death benefits when silicosis is fatal. From medical treatment to permanent disability, the Los Angeles area workers comp attorneys at Cantrell Green pursue every workers comp benefit available so clients can focus on their health.

Why Experienced Silicosis Workers Comp Attorneys Matter

A silicosis workers comp claim often depends on evidence that takes effort to gather, such as a worker’s job history, the types of stone the worker cut, and whether the shop used wet cutting, ventilation and respirators. Insurance carriers may dispute whether the disease is work related or blame a different employer.

Reports from qualified medical evaluators or agreed medical evaluators often decide questions of causation and disability. Detailed findings from pulmonary specialists help establish the silicosis diagnosis, its connection to silica exposure, and the extent of permanent impairment for stone workers.

With more than 40 years of experience protecting injured workers, the experienced workers comp attorneys at the law firm of Cantrell Green in the Los Angeles area gather exposure evidence, work closely with medical evaluators, and hold insurance carriers accountable. The attorneys and staff also treat every client and family with compassion, knowing how deeply silicosis affects stone workers and the people who depend on them.

Silicosis Workers Comp Attorneys | Los Angeles Area

Workers who develop silicosis after years of cutting, grinding, or fabricating artificial stone countertops may be entitled to California workers comp benefits, even when their illness developed gradually or they no longer work for the employer responsible for their exposure. The skilled and experienced Los Angeles area workers comp attorneys at Cantrell Green can help affected stone workers understand their rights and pursue appropriate medical treatment and disability compensation.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with silicosis after working with engineered stone, the attorneys at Cantrell Green are ready to help. There is never a fee up front for a workers comp case, so contact Cantrell Green today to learn which benefits you may qualify for.

Workers Compensation Attorneys for Silicosis Cases : 800-964-8047

Sources:

• CDPH – Silicosis Becomes a Reportable Disease in California
• CDPH comment letter to Cal/OSHA, Sept. 30, 2026 (644 cases)
• CIDRAP – CDPH/NEJM Evidence report, 2019–2026 (592 cases, 31 deaths, 65 transplants; OSHSB May 2026 action)
• News coverage of CDPH report (median age 46; first case diagnosed at 32)
• Environment+Energy Leader – CDPH dashboard county figures (288 of 560)
• San Fernando Valley Sun – fabrication facility study
• California Labor Code § 4656