How Two Patient Advocates Guide Families Through Mesothelioma And The Legal Process

A mesothelioma diagnosis can make everything feel urgent and unreal at the same time, and the hardest part is often not knowing what to do first. We sit down with Kathleen Bono and Sarah Bono, a mother-daughter team who have spent more than a decade meeting hundreds of mesothelioma families face to face, often days after diagnosis or loss. They share what actually helps when a stranger walks into your home, how they build trust quickly, and why families deserve clarity before they ever talk about claims or compensation.

We get practical about the asbestos exposure interview: how to reduce pressure when someone is sick, older, or grieving, and how simple “timeline anchors” like weddings, kids, and career chapters can unlock the details needed for a strong case. We also talk about what it feels like to walk into rooms filled with relatives, the power of listening, and the small human moments that stay with you, from veterans’ stories to unexpected laughs that cut through the heaviness.

Then we tackle the legal process head-on, including fears about going to court, what a deposition really means, and why mesothelioma commercials can be misleading. Kathleen and Sarah explain the difference between asbestos bankruptcy trusts and solvent company claims, and how transparency and steady communication can make the process feel manageable.

If you know someone facing mesothelioma or asbestos-related cancer, share this conversation with them. Subscribe for more, leave a review, and tell us in the comments: what question would you want answered first after a diagnosis?

MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introductions

SPEAKER_00 0:01

You're listening to Meso, the Misothelioma podcast, where support, education, and outreach come together for families facing misothelioma.

SPEAKER_05 0:13

Hi, welcome to the Meso podcast. I have Kathleen Bono and Sarah Bono as our distinguished guests for today. They've been helping uh mesothelioma patients for I don't know, a decade and a half. How long has it been for you, Sarah?

SPEAKER_04 0:28

I started in 2013.

SPEAKER_05 0:31

2013, wow. And you, Kathleen?

SPEAKER_03 0:34

Uh 2011.

How Kathleen And Sarah Started

SPEAKER_05 0:36

We're working together for a long time and uh I've greatly enjoyed uh both of you. Kathleen and Sarah are mother and daughter. I'll let you decide which ones which. And uh they're a great team, and uh and uh and and they're also I think some of the best advocates out there in the country for mesothelioma patients. So I was gonna have them uh just tell us a little bit about what they do today and tell us a little bit about themselves. So I'm gonna let you begin. Kathleen, you go ahead and start and tell you your background and how you got here.

SPEAKER_03 1:10

I came from uh from an insurance investigative background, four state uh and four state insurance departments handling insurance department complaints. And um David, uh uh someone that I knew from from the legal industry, asked me to come on and help Danzinger and Diana with a couple clients, uh, which I did. And then the following year they asked me to come on full-time. So I've been working for uh Danzinger and Diana ever since then.

SPEAKER_05 1:41

And how did Sarah get involved in all of this?

SPEAKER_04 1:43

Yeah, so obviously my mom was already working at the firm. She had more cases than she could handle. And so I started helping her with the overflow with the office's permission. She has so I traveled with her to a couple of her appointments and she trained me. I got to see how everything worked. So it began kind of as a temporary situation for me, but it turned into something far more meaningful. And the firm eventually offered me a full-time position, and I've been here ever since.

SPEAKER_05 2:13

Okay, okay. Tell tell us a little bit about your background. What were you doing before?

SPEAKER_04 2:18

So I graduated from Kansas State with a dual degree in business and Spanish, and it was during my senior year that I took a couple um legal courses that really sparked my interest in the legal field. But I was in software and and business and and doing something different. So when I moved up to the Northeast, I was kind of in a transition period shortly before that 2013 window. I was planning my wedding and figuring out my next steps professionally. So that's kind of how it all happened very organically and kind of got in it and and never looked back.

SPEAKER_05 2:54

Okay, good, good. How's your Spanish?

SPEAKER_04 2:57

It's weak. I need some more Spanish clients to uh invite me out to uh to brush it up, but it's still it's still very helpful. It it it helps me in my travels at least.

SPEAKER_05 3:07

Right, yeah. I said, Do you think you could communicate effectively with somebody in Spanish?

SPEAKER_04 3:11

Absolutely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:13

Yes, most likely. She's handled some Spanish speaking clients for the firm.

SPEAKER_04 3:19

Yeah, I'm not as good of a as a native or as some of our people in-house, but uh I can I can get by.

Clarity, Direction, And Client Stories

SPEAKER_05 3:25

You told us a little bit about your background, uh how you got here, and um what you're doing now. So now we're gonna kind of get into the nuts and bolts. Um what do you enjoy about doing with your job and interacting with mesothelioma patients? So uh Kathleen, you go first. What do you like about your job?

SPEAKER_03 3:42

You know, um it it took me a while to get my head around it because you're working with individuals in very difficult circumstances, and um I could feel their pain. Um, but but what I really came to enjoy is that by the time we're leaving their homes, you can tell they have clarity and they have a direction. So they're very overwhelmed, you know, when we first get in there. You don't know what stage of the disease the family is in, whether the their family member is still living, just diagnosed. Um, so it's really blinging bringing that clarity to those individuals and the families and giving them a direction. That's what I enjoy.

SPEAKER_04 4:25

Yeah, I I would agree with you on that. I think the human connection is so meaningful. We're really thrown into um, you know, sometimes a very emotional, sad atmosphere. And it's really rewarding to be able to guide them and support them and just make this process a little less overwhelming.

SPEAKER_05 4:47

Yeah. Do you have a particular patient, each of you, that uh stands out in your mind?

SPEAKER_04 4:52

So one is a little lighthearted, um, you know, which can be hard to find in in this job. Uh he was a real funny guy. He came from very little, and you never would have known that because he was so happy. And it ended up, you know, being his birthday. And I sent him an Amazon gift card, just kind of out of the blue. Um, and I I thought he needed, you know, some basic needs like socks and underwear. And he ended up buying the shameless DVDs, which really surprised me and made me laugh. And um, you know, I really got a kick out of him, and it meant so much to have a relationship with him, so much so that his father, um, when he passed away, his father called me personally to let me know and told me that I was a really bright light for him through this process. And uh, you know, it just really meant a lot for me and was touching. So he's one I'll never forget.

SPEAKER_05 5:50

That's a great story. Kathleen.

Reading The Room With Families

SPEAKER_03 5:52

Yes, um, I particularly like my uh Navy veterans. Um I love my military men that I work with, and especially the older World War II ones, which are hard to come by these days. But uh back five years ago or so, I was calling on an individual that had just got finished firing another law firm. And uh I knew he was in his 90s, so I wasn't expecting to be able to communicate a lot with him. And when I um got to his apartment or his condo, his wife was out working the election polls and he was baking a cheesecake and running around in the house. And to me, it was just amazing. Here, this gentleman had just fired another law firm. He's baking a cheesecake and he offered me a drink, you know, which of course I refused, you know, uh during our meeting. But um, you know, you just never know um what kind of silver lining that you're gonna run into with these individual families. Uh another family I met, uh it was a second marriage for both of them, and uh they had met each other square dancing. And again, they were an older couple, and um just they they just bring a lot of joy, and and um it's those type of situations that make this job worthwhile.

SPEAKER_05 7:21

Kathleen, you tell me what you typically, what's your mental process when you're going into a a client's house, if you can. I mean, I'm I'm putting you on the spot here, but how would you characterize the way you approach uh uh a potential victim of mesothelioma and asbestos exposure?

SPEAKER_03 7:39

You know, I used to worry about that a lot. And um I've I've just gotten more comfortable now just not putting a whole lot of thought into it, just knowing that, you know, I'm going to meet them where they're at. So, you know, like I said, you you don't know what stage, you know, that they're gonna be as far as the diagnosis. You don't know the emotional weight of each situation, uh, you know, whether they have good medical care, uh, how familiar they are with the legal process. Um, but but I found that you quickly understand what they need in that moment and you meet them where they're at. So uh they tell you what they need. I start by introducing myself and telling them how I got involved in the business and just try to create a real trusting and relaxing environment for them.

SPEAKER_05 8:33

Sarah's gonna break out in hives here, then I'm throwing this question to her. Sarah, what is uh what is your approach when you meet with a client?

SPEAKER_04 8:41

I think the same thing. I think Kathleen said the same exact thing. So I used to get a stomachache before when I first started, just because it's very overwhelming walking into this situation, especially if someone's recently passed, you don't know what you're if someone's gonna be sick, you don't know if sometimes a lot of the details. So I feel like the less you plan, you you just get really used to it. And I feel like now it's automatic. So you just go in and I go in and read the room, and I just know automatically what they need and and where to start and just kind of meet them where they're at, like Kathleen said.

SPEAKER_05 9:15

You know, when when we're talking to people initially, and then we we they decide they want to meet with us, usually it's an individual. It's it's the the the individual affected and usually his spouse, sometimes uh well when you're on the phone with him, that's generally what it is, right? Or it could be one of the children calling. But when you guys get there, often there's a crowd there, right? I mean, you might have three, four, five or more people. So what so what do you do? What do you what you walk in and you're expecting to meet with one person, there's a crow, you know, a large crowd of people.

SPEAKER_04 9:52

Sarah, you want to definitely go ahead. It can be overwhelming. Just remembering names, you know, is is tough. So um, you know, but I feel like uh the less you get intimidated by it, I feel like when you immerse yourself in the situation, our clients are very good at making us comfortable too. So um, you know, we just read the situation and you know, sometimes they need a laugh and and some of our clients keep their sense of humor. Sometimes they need, you know, some to cry and go through it. But if they have everybody there, I think the coolest part is when they have these big groups, they always learn something. They walk away from the situation and they learn something new because there's so many people talking about their loved ones' background that they I've never had a meeting where they a big family didn't learn something new. And that I think is really cool.

SPEAKER_03 10:47

Yeah, I I agree. Um, there's often a lot of support with these family families. Sometimes you'll just meet with one individual, sometimes husband and wife, but very often children are involved, and and if not children, even a caretaker. And uh they kind of let their roles be known early on. You can tell, you know, who's in charge. Um, and you know, sometimes they divvy up the responsibilities and they're all coming at you because you've walked in and and maybe you have not built your relationship yet, and and uh they're not sure whether they can trust you or not. And so you just let the situation unfold and and you lead them um with integrity, integrity and transparency. I think both Sarah and I try to be very transparent and um do not feed them a line. It it's we try to be very fact-based. And uh, if we don't know something, we'll get someone on the phone that does know. And we both become very comfortable in doing that.

SPEAKER_05 11:54

Um, Kathleen, how many people do you think you've met with over the the last, so it's been 15 years, right?

SPEAKER_03 12:02

I um I meet between um 35 and 50 families a year approximately. So over those 13 years, that's a lot of families, hundreds of families that I've met with.

SPEAKER_05 12:16

And what about you, Sarah? Same?

SPEAKER_04 12:18

Same. I'm trailing, you know, a little behind since I started a couple years later and I had some maternity leave, you know, mixed in, you know, for a short period. But I'm I meet with probably about 25 to 40 clients a year and have been doing it for 13 years. So I've met with probably hundreds of people, you know, which is amazing.

Working As A Mother Daughter Team

SPEAKER_05 12:39

And maybe I don't know if you've grasped this or thought about it, but I mean, that is a huge number of mesothelioma patients, right? I mean, most doctors see one or two in their careers. So you guys are, you know, the two of you have uh met with families affected by mesothelioma more than almost anyone else in the world. So it's um it's a tribute to you and the and the fact that you guys have are still doing it and and seem to enjoy it. I know I know in meeting with clients or talking to them after you guys have been there, you always uh add credibility to us, right? So it helps a lot and they they end up loving your the interaction. Um so what is it like being a mother-daughter team? I know you often don't you don't probably have never worked together on a case, maybe except for the very beginning, but the the two of you still have a camaraderie, and I know you talk quite a bit. What is it like working with your daughter, Kathleen?

SPEAKER_03 13:36

You know, I I think you see um parenting come full circle. You know, it she I mothered her forever, and um now watching her and working closely with her and seeing her perspective and her growth, um, how she supports these families, you know, in her work and how meaningful they are uh is wonderful to see. I mean, she's accompanied some um older clients all the way to the hospital when they uh didn't have a daughter or someone to go there with them because they were elderly and the law firm allowed her to do this. So I think it's been really cool, you know, uh sharing the purpose of helping these families. So if we're in a situation uh where I'm unsure of how to handle something or what to say, I can run that by her. I had a medical situation at one point in my career, and Sarah stepped in and helped make my flight reservations and just some things to take the stress and the pressure off. Um, we've gotten to go to conferences together uh at different times and and experience that time together as well. So it's been very rewarding uh for me to experience her, not like my daughter, but as a coworker and as a friend, of course. Very proud of her. Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 15:00

Okay, Sarah, your mom said a bunch of Sarah, your mom said a nice bunch of nice things about you. So you better reciprocate. What do you have to say about working with your mom?

SPEAKER_04 15:10

So I learned from the best, first of all. I got trained by the best. So it's it's been a really, really special experience to um work with my mom. We already had a really strong relationship. I would talk to her almost every day, regardless of work. Um, but working together has added another layer of respect and understanding and a cool thing that not everybody understands the emotional aspect of our job and and what that entails. But uh, you know, to be able to have somebody that I can talk to about it and someone that that really experiences some of the same things, it's very valuable and just um neat that we get to experience that and and add I didn't know I could even get closer to my mom because we were so close before, but we really have gotten closer through this job too. I love ya. Yes, we cannot talk work around uh my sister because she kind of shuts down and maybe gets a little jealous, but kind of doesn't have time to hear it.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

Hey guys, welcome back. I'm so glad to see the both of you here today. And you are two amazing ladies. Um, and we so appreciate you taking your time out to uh talk to us about uh uh what we do, actually. Um I know that it's it's actually what they do. Well, yes, what you do. I know that it isn't it isn't easy because you you run into quite a number of personalities out there. Um and I guess one of the things that you have to uh do is is try to figure out, you know, how how do I approach an individual. So can you tell me a little bit about how you do that? Did you ask that question?

SPEAKER_05 17:01

Yeah, but we can always ask again. I'd rather hear the question twice.

SPEAKER_03 17:06

Um, you know, you know, I think that uh Sarah, Sarah and I just had used to put a lot of thought into that and worry about it quite a bit. And I I think what we've grown to trust is that uh it's just gonna unfold when we get there. We don't know who's gonna be there, we don't know what stage they're at in in their diagnosis and and their suffering or their treatment. And so we just go in and and try to make them feel as as comfortable as we can with the whole process. You know, you're entering um them at a stage where they've a lot of them have just been diagnosed and they don't understand uh the situation and and they're not even really thinking about the legal situation. So uh it's a lot of times we just let them talk when we get there. We introduce ourselves and we ask them how they're doing medically, and um, they get more comfortable talking about their situation, and then we figure out uh how we can meet them where they're at and identify what their needs are, I think. What do you think, Sarah?

SPEAKER_04 18:13

I think that's very accurate. So I think the number one thing we want to do is make them feel comfortable because it can be weird with a stranger walking into their home. And, you know, often, you know, sometimes it was the day before, and they just think this all happened very fast. And it's just reading the room and and I think my mom has an ease of just making people feel comfortable and, you know, just understanding, being very empathetic that uh they're willing to share and and open up and we all leave, you know, wishing we were there under different circumstances, but but very thankful that we all met and and help them find a solution. And then they give us benefits as well. I mean, they really enrich our lives by being so brave and and strong and doing as a family.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

You have this short time to build trust, a very short time to build trust, because they're about to give you quite a bit of information, a lot of background information about themselves. And and I can only imagine how difficult that is for some people. I'm sure some are probably ready to give you that information, but I'm sure there are others that are a little to a little hesitant in giving you all the information about themselves because we are going back pretty far in their in their lives, and and we do pull personal things from their lives as well. So yeah, you have a very short and so uh period or uh a time to actually uh gain their trust.

Travel Realities And Life Logistics

SPEAKER_05 19:48

I think it's interesting that you said that your mom uh allows, you know, makes people comfortable, disarms them, you know, they get that trust. So do you, Sarah. But I think what's interesting, they don't let me out of here because I do the opposite. I make people nervous and crazy. You have job security as long as I'm here. So um I was gonna I was thinking about something as they were saying that, uh, but we'll go through the question. There's something else I was gonna oh, right now, you where are you, Kathleen? Tell us.

SPEAKER_03 20:19

Oh, where oh, where am I? Um I am uh in Montana. Um I am uh close to Libby. I have an appointment with a client in uh Libby, Montana. We've all, you know, heard a lot of about Libby in the past, and I've never been to this part of Montana before. So I'm uh looking forward to going there. I landed just a half an hour before this podcast started and walked out to see the beautiful mountains. And um, we don't have that in the Midwest. And so it was just kind of a beautiful sight. So I got honked at on my way driving to the uh hotel because I was busy looking at all the scenery, and uh someone was like, get on it, lady, you know, hurry up. So uh, you know, had to pay attention and get here.

SPEAKER_05 21:08

Seriously, take some pictures while you're there, if you don't mind. I'd love to see it. You know, we we hear about it all the time. It's a suit as best as super site. So uh and the other thing I was gonna say was, and and this is to you, Sarah, is you guys never really know where you're gonna wake up sometimes, right? We we send you to some craziest, crazy places. So I have two questions for you, Sarah. What is the craziest place you've ever been, if there is one that stands out? And then what is it like being a mom and and a wife? And um in two hours we tell you to go on a plane to go meet somebody at some crazy place. What's it like doing that?

SPEAKER_04 21:44

It's certainly gotten a lot harder. I'm gonna start with the second question you asked because uh I you I used to thrive on you know not knowing where I'm going, you know, from one day to the next. And it it brings a level of of excitement and a lot of people that I'm friends. With is they say, I don't know how you do that. I could never, I have to plan everything. I have to know what my week looks like. I have to know what my month looks like. For me, I loved it because I never got bored. I never knew where I was going to go. And I I like living like that. But with a child, it's a lot more difficult. You know, you got to get their food ready. You got to make sure they have care. And so the office has been really supportive and helped me, you know, ease back into the role. And, you know, I've I've got daycare to help and a mother-in-law here, and my husband kind of steps up when he needs to. But man, the drives when I don't have a child in the car, I don't mind when I get a two or three hour drive from the airport because it's quiet in the car. And so I'm not listening to kid music. And, you know, sometimes I don't even listen to a podcast or a book just because I want to hear like nothing. So I drive silently in the car for hours. I could understand that.

unknown 22:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:54

As far as the craziest place that I've been, you know, I I honestly can't think I've I've traveled to many states personally and professionally. I think I need three more. I need to go to Alaska, uh, South Dakota, and Wyoming. So if you get an appointment there, please send me. But um, you know, I've I've been, you know, driving through some crazy places that feel off the grid, you know, where your phone doesn't work and you struggle, you know, to find your meeting and it's late at night. And one time I was trying to find an address and it was dark, and I see somebody walking, you know, riding a horse in the dark, and they actually led me to where my um appointment was. Um, it was a really late meeting and it was dark, and after a wake or something like that, but I was actually led to the house by a person on horseback. So that was probably a a wild scenario.

SPEAKER_01 23:54

Is Dave there or did he freeze?

SPEAKER_03 23:58

Unfortunately, I think they froze.

SPEAKER_04 24:01

Yes. So we'll take it from here.

SPEAKER_03 24:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 24:04

Oh, they're bad. There they are.

SPEAKER_01 24:05

They're bad. Yeah. We keep losing.

SPEAKER_05 24:09

I mean, and I'm plugged directly in that. I'm I'm going to yell. That's all right.

SPEAKER_01 24:13

We'll roll with it. We can hear more. So at some point, did you click your heels and say there's no place like home?

SPEAKER_04 24:21

I wish that worked. But you'll see here, I've got a Kansas City uh tribute over here. You can see Kansas City Peach. So I I love my Kansas City roots and being from the Midwest um is something that that I cherish. And living in the Northeast, it's a little different out here, but I feel like that Midwestern uh, you know, background really helps me relate to people and and be comfortable a little bit more than than I would maybe if I was raised here, because it's a little bit different. People can be a little more private, maybe to start. But um I I love my KC roots and thank my mom for for raising me um to be honest and and have integrity, and that's really helped me in this job.

Finding Asbestos Exposure Details

SPEAKER_05 25:03

Good. Okay, so let's uh let's get a little bit heavier here on some of the these are Anna's questions, okay? And and I and I brought it here just because they are heavier, you know, if you guys struggle or whatever, it's her fault. So when you're interviewing a new asbestos cancer victim and you're talking to them, what is the best approach to find out what exposures they've had? You know, you have a lot of problems when you're there, right? I mean, they may not remember, they're older, or they're really sick, right? So what what do you what techniques do you employ to to and it's all so critical, right? We need to know, we need to know ex what they did and where they were doing it. And and you're dealing with a 93-year-old man who has uh has um you know metastatic cancer. What do you do, Kathleen?

SPEAKER_03 25:50

You know, I I think first of all, we have to remember why we're there. And and we're there to make them feel comfortable. So so they can't do anything wrong. If they don't want to share certain information, we can get it later. You know, uh you we know, like I said, it all goes uh back to meeting them where they are. So I think a lot of times we start with an introduction and then let them tell us about a little bit about them, about their medical situation. For some reason, a lot of times that makes them feel comfortable just sharing what they've been through, whether it be uh what they've been through with their loved one or what they're going through themselves. And it it seems like you have to be a good listener to start out with. I mean, you you have an agenda when you go. There's a lot of information that we want and that we need, but you just kind of have to let that go and uh let them share about themselves. And um, I I think they start to relax. Now, some people don't want to share. They they are gonna grill you uh up one side and down the other as far as what is your what are your intentions, you know, on being there. They don't trust the process. And so, you know, you talk about transparency and you don't try to give them a line. You just really share why you're working with the firm that you're working with. You're working with this firm because you believe in what they stand for. Uh, you you we trust them. Uh, we would trust to have our case for our loved ones handled by them. So you you share the the information um with them and and you basically say, I wouldn't be working for them if this wasn't um legitimate, if if they weren't um transparent, if they didn't care about their clients uh emotionally and physically as well as financially. It's not just about making a dollar with Danzig or Indiano. Uh they truly really want to help the individuals in the situation, whether it be uh to help them financially if they need it, to help them medically if if they're lacking on a good medical contact. So I think when we have faith in the firm that we're working for, it translates to them. And as we share with them our relationship with the firm, they know that they're gonna be taken care of as well.

SPEAKER_05 28:23

Okay, Sarah, you're in the hot seat.

Carrying The Emotional Weight

SPEAKER_04 28:25

Yeah, I I think she said uh a lot about it already, but I think just letting them know that nothing has to be perfect in the initial stage. I feel like there's a lot of pressure for them to remember. And if we just kind of take that pressure away and say nothing has to be perfect right now, sometimes we say, uh, you know, I can't remember what I was doing. And they might have children. It's say, you know, when when your daughter was born, what were you doing? Or when you got married, what were you doing? To go more with time periods in their life to like have them think back to what they were doing instead of like coming up with a whole resume off the top of their head. And that once they start talking about it and the family usually chimes in, they they can piece it together and then you know, we perfect it down the road.

unknown 29:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:07

What uh how do you deal with the emotional weight of of being there with someone who has mesothelioma? And and I I I I would say that, especially when they're younger, you sometimes deal with, you know, very young people, but but I think at any age, you know, they're given this uh diagnosis that's gotta be make you tremble, right? So how do you deal with that when you're and and a lot and a lot of times I might say uh it's early in the process. I would say most of the time they've just been diagnosed. Here they are. How do you deal with it?

SPEAKER_04 29:40

It's heavy. I mean, we've we've cried with them before, we've hugged these clients, and it's just um, you know, when we walk away, you know, we we have some of that weight, you know, that we carry. And and that's the the beauty in working together with my mom that we can kind of share, you know, gosh, I'm so upset, or you know, I feel really down, you know, someone's, you know, going through a really tough fight right now. And, you know, just the connection of working with my mom even helps me balance the emotional weight of of this career. Kathleen?

SPEAKER_03 30:13

Yeah, I think that uh, you know, we all as a team uh share our cell phone numbers with them. Uh, you know, we share information about ourselves, we tell them we're here for them, that we understand. We like I said, meet with a lot of people so we kind of see it all. And uh we've all had, you know, our hardships, but haven't fortunately dealt with what they're dealing with right then. So I I think we know, you know, how tough it is, and uh we just share that we'll do everything in our power to to help them and guide them. They worry about, you know, whether they're gonna have enough energy to face this legal process. And um I think the fact that we make things so personal that they don't have to jump through a lot of hoops to get someone on the phone, that they have personal cell phone numbers of their attorney and of the people in the office, like Anna, you or Dave, and they have my personal cell phone number. And we we just share with them that uh, you know, we're available 24 hours a day. You know, it's not eight to five. If if you need to call, if you need to share something, call me. If I can answer, I'll answer. And same with Saturday and Sunday, you know, if we can get to you, we're gonna help you through this process and uh just kind of tell them that things are gonna unfold and we're patient with that unfolding. And it's a little bit busy the first few weeks once we get the case started. Um, but these experts know um they've had cases with these different places individuals have worked with their experience with with whatever the individual has come in contact with. So they're gonna be speaking with really knowledgeable people that will help lead them and guide them and then share with them that it gets quiet after that, then then we're working and they can relax after they share that information. So I know that was a long answer. Sorry about that. That's good. I want to hear it.

Legal Myths And What To Expect

SPEAKER_04 32:25

I want to just give you a shout-out too, because it's the the whole team of you guys that really helps us do our job well too. Because as soon as we leave, you know, we're catching flights and trying to travel back, and you can help, you know, immediately. We we are we're very efficient in this process and we want to get things uh resolved as quickly as possible. So whatever we need, we call you guys, we text you guys, and you jump in and help any way you can and you know, kind of set the stage for, you know, just that that care and compassion and taking wonderful care of our clients. We couldn't do it alone. So thank you.

SPEAKER_05 33:01

Okay, we got one more question, then we're gonna shut her down for now.

SPEAKER_02 33:04

But yeah, so what is the biggest misconception patients might have regarding the legal process in mesothelioma cases?

SPEAKER_03 33:14

You know, for me, that's all over the place. Um, you know, it's it's it it might be, you know, that they don't trust why someone's sitting in their living room. Why would the government, why would anyone give me any money for anything? And so they don't think we're legitimately there to do anything but scam them. You know, that's a that's a big thing. You know, other people um think they're gonna get money, you know, right away, um, or that they don't have to justify their illness or or um, you know, justify their work history. Um, you know, and and then that then you have the third thing of how am I gonna do this? I'm too, I'm too sick. So whichever one of those scenarios it is, you just help them work through that and um, you know, tell them that the process is is easy because we're trained professionals and we're gonna put an expert on whatever type of um exposure that you've had. Um we're gonna meet you where you're you're at medically and physically. We're not gonna push you. You're in control of this. Um, we have certain things that we want to get to. We want a deposition. I tell them up front if we can get a deposition, but if you don't want to give a deposition, you don't have to. So kind of let them know that they're driving, uh driving the boat, uh, and and we're there to tell them how that decision is going to affect something, and and that we're always gonna be there to do what they want to do. Ultimately, the choice is theirs.

SPEAKER_04 34:52

And I can think of, I would say probably two big misconceptions that that I deal with. And one is um the first, like fear of having to go in a courtroom. I think most people like worry about that, and then you know, we explain to them that, you know, it's a very rare situation, and you know, a high percentage of these, probably 95 to 90, maybe more than that, are resolved outside of the courtroom, and that makes them more comfortable. Um, and then I would say my other misconception is kind of seeing a mesothelioma commercial and hearing that, like, have you or a loved one been ex diagnosed with mesothelioma? If so, call this number, 30 billion dollars have been set aside, yada, yada, yada. And they think it's, you know, one big trust that it pays out. And I think what they don't realize is there is a you know a series of bankruptcy trusts, and you know, some of them are very nuanced, nobody qualifies for all of them, but it would be, you know, the the bankruptcy trust and then the solvent companies um that are involved and not just one big mesothelioma fund.

unknown 35:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:55

That one I hear quite a bit. Uh we he we get that here as well. It's like, okay. Um, so yeah, um, I think once they get through us and to you, you all, you still deal with that because they're still not trusting. It's so quick that um it's hard for them to, you know, to think that there actually is money. I had one just the other day that said, Oh, I didn't know this was real. They just told me to call. You know, you you you hear about 30 billion. I what yeah, again, why would someone give me that money? Um and you know, because you didn't plan on having mesothelioma and it's their fault.

SPEAKER_05 36:35

Well, guys, we appreciate you joining the miso podcast.

Final Thanks And Resources

SPEAKER_03 36:39

I'll say thank you for inviting us. Thank you for having us. Um, I like it was a great opportunity to be with my daughter and be with you guys at the office. So thank you.

SPEAKER_04 36:49

Yeah, we had a lot of fun. Thanks for having us on, and we'll come back on again.

SPEAKER_00 36:54

Thank you for listening to Miso, the Miso Thelioma podcast. For more information, resources, and support, visit our sponsors Danziger and Dayano at dandel.com.