Episode summary
Building a mesothelioma case is nothing like the class-action commercials suggest. Host Anna sits down with Leslie Cooper, an investigator who has worked at law firm Danziger and De Llano for 23 years and has conducted roughly 1,000 client intake meetings across a 17-state territory. Leslie explains that each case is the opposite of a class action: one client, multiple defendants — because attorneys are tracking down every manufacturer whose asbestos-containing product the person ever encountered. That search starts at birth. Investigators go year by year through a person’s entire life, looking for exposure at home, in school, during military service, through a parent’s occupation, or even through hobbies — pottery kilns, attic insulation, Plaster of Paris used in taxidermy are among the examples Leslie shares. Most people assume they know the single source of their exposure, but the full picture is almost always broader. The asbestos trust funds mentioned in TV commercials represent the combined total of dozens of separate bankrupt-manufacturer trusts; families cannot simply call one of them to receive payment. Identifying which trusts and which active defendants apply to a specific client is the investigator’s job. Leslie also explains that venue — the state where a case is filed — matters enormously, and that some states are far more favorable than others for mesothelioma claims.
- Mesothelioma cases are not class actions. Each claim belongs to one person and names the specific manufacturers whose asbestos products that person was exposed to throughout their life.
- Investigators trace exposure chronologically from birth — including secondhand exposure from a parent’s job, childhood hobbies, and military service — because more confirmed exposure sources can mean more avenues for compensation.
- The large trust-fund figures cited in commercials are the combined total of many separate manufacturer trusts. Identifying which trusts and defendants apply to a specific client requires professional investigation, not a phone call.
- Where a case is filed matters. Attorneys evaluate which state provides the best legal environment for a client’s claim based on the person’s documented connections to that state through work or residence.
Full transcript
Welcome And Meet The Investigator
You're listening to Meso, the mesothelioma podcast, where support, education, and outreach come together for families facing mesothelioma.
And welcome back to MESO, the Misocare podcast. And today my uh guest is Leslie Cooper. She is uh one of the investigators. So I'm gonna let Leslie introduce herself and and tell us a little bit about how what she does for Dan Zigger and Diano and how long she's been with us.
Hi Anna. Yes, I am Leslie Cooper and I have been an investigator with Dan Sgarandiano for 23 years. Wow. Yeah. So I've I've I've I've my I've been around a while.
So that's not a bad thing. That's not a bad thing.
You know, back in the old days when I started, I was the age of the clients' children, and now I'm the age of the clients. Oh my goodness. Yeah.
So okay.
Go ahead. Go ahead. Okay. What I do is I go and um do the addition initial meeting with clients. So I am going to visit them in their homes. And um I actually have a 17-state territory. I have been all over the United States. I've done uh met with clients in all states except for Maine, Rhode Island, and Hawaii. So we do do uh, you know, uh consultations and we do do uh cases on a nationwide basis. Um and you know, that sounds maybe kind of spread out, but what a lot of people don't really realize is that mesothelioma is extremely rare. Yes. So you know, there's not that many cases out there. So, you know, I that's why I cover such a large territory. Um, when I meet with people, I'm explaining the process to them and um also I'm getting their claim up and running. That's what I'm doing. I see myself as an expediter, so um, it's important to get these cases moving as quickly as possible to get the results as quick quickly as possible, um, and do the best job that we can for our clients.
Absolutely. Absolutely. How how many cases have you had since you've been with DD?
Why Mesothelioma Cases Are Rare
I have seen roughly uh 1,000 cases since I've been with Danzo Grandiano. Yeah. So you put it put it that way, that's only like one a month, uh, you know, one a week, um, you know, during the course of those years, because that's you know, people don't realize how rare it is. Um, I think that people have, you know, seen commercials for decades, and um, it might seem like it's super common, but the amount of advertising speaks more to the value of the cases than the volume of the cases. Right, absolutely. And that's what we're trying to do is we're trying to get as much value out of every single case.
Absolutely. And each case is is actually filed individually. It's not a huge class action case that sometimes we get the calls and they say, or I want to be a part of that class action suit, but that's not how these cases are filed. Am I correct?
Yes. What I tell people is it's it's not a class action case, it's literally the opposite of a class acting case. In a class action case, you have one defendant and multiple plaintiffs. In these cases, our client is our one plaintiff, and there are multiple defendants.
Right, right. So can you um what method do you use to map out the client's work history um and uh and how to identify asbestos exposure, not only um uh their work history, uh I guess what I'm asking is, you know, how do you uh when you meet with a client, how do you get all the information you need in order to file these cases? Okay.
Rebuilding A Life Timeline Of Exposure
So I go chronologically. So I explain to people that we are looking for every manufacturer of asbestos products that they have been exposed to since they were born. Okay. That's why there are so many, you know, defendants involved in each individual's case, and they are all individual. So it's going to depend on who your manufacturers are, how many of them there are. Um, that's going to speak to the value of your case and how how how much compensation we can get for each individual client. So I go chronologically from the time they were born, um, because we're looking for things like maybe your father worked at the shipyards and was bringing asbestos home. Um maybe your you know mother worked at an industrial facility, so what you did in high school. So everybody has, well, most people have an idea. Well, I I got this here, okay. Right. You might have got that there, but you might not have got that there. We're not looking for the manufacturer who's responsible. We're looking for every manufacturer who's responsible. Okay. So there might be a little bit uh from when you were growing up, a little bit from when you were in the military, uh, and then your career, and then perhaps household exposure too.
Right.
So I go chronologically and I go over a person's entire life history, looking for every single possible source of asbestos exposure that I can find.
And obviously, the reason we do that is the more uh that we can identify, the more compensation we can get the client. Yes. Because we're looking out for them. Yes, and there's a lot more possibilities than they think. Um, and and you're right, I've I've talked to individuals where they said, Oh, I I know exactly where I got it. And then you look at the age of the individual, and they're, you know, 52 years old, and we're like, okay, let's step back and look even a little further. And there's a purpose to what you do and why you do that. So um, so you know, uh let's let's kind of uh you you talked about you know the trust funds and and the manufacturers. Um what can you explain um or can you address the asbestos trust and how how that all works?
Sure, because I think that people are on um they're a little bit surprised when they find out all you know that's involved in in this, and it's um, you know, it's it's actually very interesting. But um you'll hear, you know, people will hear or see commercials that are saying, you know, there's this big, huge asbestos trust. And that's not necessarily true. That figure that they're giving, like the $80 trillion, is actually the sum of all of the trusts
Secondhand Exposure And Forgotten Products
combined. So there are dozens of manufacturers who have filed for bankruptcy and have to um put money into these, you know, have to set up a trust um to compensate, you know, people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma. So there's there's a number of them. Um so again, it's it's not like you can call them up and say, call this trust up and say, you know, I have mesothelioma, you know, please cut me a check.
Okay.
It's our job to identify who these manufacturers are. It's our job to identify who all the manufacturers are, whether they're bankrupt and have a trust or not. Okay. So there's no possible way that a person can do that. And when people tell me, oh, you you know, I don't know, and you're never gonna be able to figure it out. And I'm like, Do you want to make a bet? We're gonna figure it out, okay? Yeah, you have no idea how how uh you know the the reach of of our investigative tools are, um, we we will find out. So it's just important to go over the life history, turn over every stone, look for every possibility, um, eliminate situations as well. And people are, you know, very shocked with what we come up with.
Right. No. Um it's yeah, they um don't realize that there could be the secondhand exposure from a family member. Um, and they don't even realize how many products were made with asbestos. Um, your your mom could have a hobby and she was, you know, making pottery and she had the huge, is it a kiln that you use? Yeah. And so that had asbestos. And you don't think that your hobbies that you had or uh other areas, you know, because they didn't think about how many companies actually used asbestos products. So yeah, it's really important and you know, uh typically to I I try to let people know before they meet with you, you know, it's really important that you think about all the areas that are potential. And I know as you're going through, you know, your questions, you said that you start from when they were young. And uh the purpose of that is, you know, what sometimes once someone is talking about, you know, their life, they start to realize that, well, they're that, oh yeah,
Asbestos Trust Funds Explained Clearly
I I do remember, you know, something like that. I had, I remember talking to someone and they said when they were, when they were young, their dad removed all the uh insulation out of the attic and they threw it out in the front yard and the kids were playing in it. Little did they know it was asbestos insulation, and they said, Wow, I I totally forgot about that when I was a kid. And so this is what you do. You try to get them to try to remember uh different things. And as you're going, yeah, and as you're going chronologically, um, a lot of times they don't remember the actual dates, but when you point out, well, was that when you had your first child? And it's kind of helpful to get them to, oh yeah, that was in 1959 or whatever. I that's true. Um, so the things that you do or the questions you ask are for a purpose. Um, you know, we're constantly trying to help them. Um, you know, the you know, as as we've said, and you've said, everybody said, um, the more we know, the more compensation we can get for that particular client. And that is our job to do that. Yes. Um, so um what is what is the average time that you spend with a potential client? Okay.
So the amount of time that I am going to spend with a client is largely going to be based on how they feel. Okay. Um, some people are going through treatment, some people have just recently been diagnosed and are just getting over, you know, the biopsy and the pleuridesis and, you know, other situations like that. And other people still feel 100%. So I can complete um my portion of the investigation, the initial investigation, in about two hours. I'll be honest with you. Sometimes I'll sit and talk with somebody for five hours. Sometimes we'll go out to dinner. Okay. It depends on how the client feels. It really does.
Yeah.
But one thing, you know, a lot of times people are like, you know, when I'm giving them the third degree, when I'm going over their life history with them, you know, they'll say, Well, I don't remember. I don't remember. But when I come and I ask questions, it jogs their memories. Exactly. So I tell them, you know what, you can't tell me right now. I'll bet you tonight you're going to be washing the dishes and you're going to say, Oh, now I remember.
Yeah.
You know, so it just gets gets those juices flowing and, you know, gets their their memories back together a little bit better. Things they haven't thought of in 30, 40 years.
Yeah.
Yeah. Or I'll ask them, you know, are there any, do they recall any of their coworkers? And no, no, no. And then, you know, three days later they'll have a list of five former coworkers for me. Right.
So that's kind of typical for any of us, right? We can't remember what we did five minutes ago, and then an hour later we're like, oh yeah, that's what I was looking for.
So um and then, of course, other people have memories that are just as sharp as could be.
Yeah. I don't have one of those. So I wish I did, but I don't.
But that's what we do is initially we're going by what this person can tell me. Okay. And we're going to get documents, we're going to get social security records, we're going to get military records,
Interview Length Records And Best Venue
we're going to get other records in the future. But for us to start out, we need as much information as possible. That that gives um Michelle, our trial attorney, that gives her the direction that the case is going to go. And the other, one of the most important things is the venue. So that's the um state that the case is going to be filed in.
Okay.
Because there are, you know, there are many, many states, the majority of them in this country, that you would not get a dime for a mesothelioma case in. Yes. That's why I'm going all over the place. When I show up at somebody's house in Montana, they're like, You flew here from California? And I'm like, Yes, I did. We are not kidding, okay? Yes, that's true. And they know that we're not kidding, but you wouldn't there, you don't file a mesothelioma claim in Montana. So that's just an example of one state. There are states that are just highly favorable, and we're looking for this person to have a connection, having lived or worked in the best state, you know, for the case.
Yeah, because we're always looking at um, where can I file it the quickest? Where can I get the most for this client? So yeah. So there, you know, all the information that we're asking is has a purpose. Yes. So can you give me, or is there one interview that stands out um that you did which either funny or or uh very emotional or whatever it may be without giving us any names or um or you know, just that you would feel comfortable sharing?
Yes, I think that um, and uh, you know, when you were mentioned earlier, it made me think of this man, and he was just delightful. Um, but um, he was a taxidermist and he worked with Plaster of Paris in his taxidermy, and that plaster of Paris had been asbestos containing, and he had, you know, a great deal of other exposure, of course, but he was uh like 78 years old, and the phone rings, and it was his mother.
78 years old and his mother's calling you.
Yes, his mother was calling. I thought that was the cutest thing in the world. I just had to laugh so hard, but he was just delightful. I'm like, whoa. Some people say, you know, well, oh, you know, we have longevity in my family.
Well, that man definitely had longevity in his family, but yeah, it was just really cute. His mother was calling to check up on him.
Oh my goodness. Yeah, that's so cute. I love that. I love that. Leslie, is there anything else that you'd like to share before we end this uh podcast today?
Um, well, you know, I just want to share. There is one thing that I would like to share. And, you know, that's I've been here for 23 years. Obviously, I really believe in our in our firm. Um, not just that I really believe in our firm, I literally will not let anybody not go with our firm because there's a situation, what I call measo mills. So these are law firms that will take any case, okay? And um basically all cases are handled the same way by them. We don't do that. Every single case
A Memorable Client Story And Firm Warning
that we handle is handled on an individual basis by the merits of that individual case. We're gonna do our darndest on every case, but our high value cases, you know, you wouldn't want a high volue case to end up with one of these miso mill type law firms.
Yeah.
You know, there's not only that, but we roll out the red carpet for our clients. We treat our clients just, you know, fantastic. Yeah. You you you're gonna have our our cell phone numbers.
Yeah.
Okay. You can call me 247. Okay. So we just are so client-centric. We take such great care of of the clients, and every single um, you know, case is handled on an individual basis.
And and they do have our cell members, believe me. They've called me. Um, but yes, you know, um, you know, one of the I think it I think it says something about uh Dan Zigger and Diano that the majority of us have been here a very, very long time. Uh in in uh for mesothelioma. Um so you know, obviously, you know, we believe and trust in in Dan Zigger and Diano, and that's why we're still here. Yep.
The process is just amazing. The way we handle our clients is amazing.
Leslie, I thank you so much for taking the time out to talk with me and sharing what you do for Dan Zigger and Diano. And um, you know, we'll have to do this again. Thank you so much, Leslie. Okay, you too.
Closing Resources And Support
Thank you for listening to Misto, the Mito Thelioma podcast. For more information, resources, and support, visit our sponsors, Danziger and Dayano, at dandel.com.
Frequently asked questions
Is a mesothelioma lawsuit the same as joining a class-action case?
No. As Leslie Cooper explains in this episode, mesothelioma cases are essentially the opposite of class actions. A class action has one defendant and many plaintiffs. In a mesothelioma case, there is one plaintiff — the diagnosed person or their family — and multiple defendants representing the various manufacturers whose asbestos-containing products that person encountered over their lifetime.
What if I only remember one or two places where I was exposed to asbestos?
That is a very common starting point. Leslie describes how most clients believe they know the single source of their exposure, but a thorough chronological review of their life — covering childhood, military service, work history, and even family members’ occupations — typically uncovers additional sources they had not considered. Documents like Social Security and military records are also gathered to fill in gaps.
Can secondhand asbestos exposure count in a mesothelioma claim?
Yes, according to what is discussed in this episode. Investigators look at exposure that came through a parent bringing asbestos home on work clothes, or even through household activities like removing attic insulation. The goal is to account for every manufacturer whose product may have contributed to a person’s exposure, regardless of whether the contact was direct or secondhand.
How does the asbestos trust fund actually work — can a family just file a claim directly?
Not directly, as Leslie explains. The large dollar figures quoted in TV advertising represent the combined total of dozens of individual trusts set up by manufacturers that filed for bankruptcy. Each trust has its own requirements, and identifying which trusts and which still-active defendants are relevant to a specific case requires professional investigation into the client’s full exposure history.
Does it matter which state a mesothelioma case is filed in?
Yes, significantly. Leslie notes that many states offer little to no recovery in mesothelioma cases, while others are far more favorable. Attorneys look at where a client lived and worked to identify the best available venue — which is one reason investigators travel nationwide to meet clients where they are.
Hosts: David Foster & Anna Jackson (Patient Advocates).
MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is produced by MesoCare.org and sponsored by Danziger & De Llano. This episode is educational and is not medical or legal advice.