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Gustavo Reyes-Gonzalez v. Aaroha Radiant Marble & Granite Slabs, et al.

 

Case Background

Plaintiff Gustavo Reyes-Gonzalez filed the Silicosis lawsuit on September 29, 2022, in the California State, Superior Court of Los Angeles County (Case number: 22STCV31907). Judges William F. Fahey, Ruth Ann Kwan, Michelle Williams Court, David S. Cunningham III, and David J. Cowan presided over the case.

Cause

Gustavo Reyes-Gonzalez worked as a countertop fabricator and installer in Southern California from 2007 to 2022. Throughout this 15-year period, he was regularly exposed to stone products containing silica and toxic metals that were manufactured and distributed by the defendants. These products included granite, marble, quartz, onyx, porcelain, natural stone, and artificial stone. Reyes-Gonzalez's job duties involved cutting, grinding, fabricating, installing, and finishing these stone products, primarily for residential countertops. This work generated significant amounts of toxic airborne dust and particulates, which Reyes-Gonzalez inhaled daily. The defendants failed to adequately warn Reyes-Gonzalez of the toxic and fibrogenic hazards of their products. They also did not provide proper safety instructions for handling and use. The complaint alleged that the defendants were aware of these dangers. The health risks of occupational silica exposure have been known to the stone industry for centuries. Despite this knowledge, the defendants concealed the hazards from workers like Reyes-Gonzalez.

Injuries

As a direct result of his occupational exposure to the defendants' silica-containing stone products, Reyes-Gonzalez developed silicosis, a serious and progressive lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust. He was first diagnosed with silicosis in September 2021 after years of unknowingly breathing in harmful particulates. The silica dust caused severe and irreversible damage to Reyes-Gonzalez's lungs, leading to breathing difficulties, chest pain, and other respiratory symptoms. His condition deteriorated to the point that he required extensive medical treatments and hospitalizations. The silicosis became so advanced and debilitating that Reyes-Gonzalez needed a lung transplant to save his life. In addition to silicosis, he suffered from other related and consequential medical conditions stemming from the toxic exposure.

Damages

Reyes-Gonzalez incurred substantial medical expenses for the diagnosis and treatment of his silicosis. These costs included doctor visits, hospitalizations, medications, and the potential lung transplant. These medical costs were alleged to be well in excess of the court's jurisdictional minimum. Due to his illness, Reyes-Gonzalez was unable to continue working in his profession. He suffered lost income and wages from the time of his diagnosis and claimed he would continue to experience a loss of future earning capacity. The complaint sought compensation for both past and future economic losses. Reyes-Gonzalez sought compensatory damages for his economic and non-economic losses. He also demanded punitive damages, alleging t