on by exposure to asbestos and classified as an orphan disease and while affecting only
a small percentage of the population both the CDC and National Cancer Institute report
that more than 3000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year. Here to discuss this
rare but deadly form of cancer and what's being done to bring justice to victims and
victim's family is Ricky LeBlanc, Managing Attorney of Sokolove Law, a nationwide law
firm that's helped bring justice and compensation to more than 2000 victims and their families
of asbestos related diseases and cancers. Good morning Ricky.
>> Good morning. >> Thank you so much for being here.
>> Thank you, glad to be here Olga.
>> Before we talk about this disease and what
your firm is doing, I know this passion that you have of helping people has come from something
that happened in your childhood. Would you mind sharing that with us?
>> Sure, I mean like many people, many viewers, I was the son of a pipe fitter and my mother
was a factory worker and so I came from a small blue collar town and I realized that
these people don't get access to justice and I wanted to do something about that so I became
a lawyer, and fortunately I landed in an asbestos firm as a young man and realized that these
are my neighbors, these people are my father's friends, it could be my father.
>> Let's be honest, these are people that really have done absolutely nothing wrong.
>> Nothing, these are hard working men and women that did their jobs and as a result
come down with this disease. >> And let's talk about the disease mesothelioma,
tell me exactly what it is? >> Well, let's keep it simple, mesothelioma
is, it's like having plastic wrap around each of your organs that are lined with grease,
that stops the organs from rubbing against each other, that's called the mesothelium
and this is the disease that's mesothelioma, is a cancer, very aggressive fast moving cancer.
>> And when that happens how long does it take for someone to notice uh, that they've
been exposed to this, are there symptoms? >> Yeah, the real issue is you're
exposed to it and then it's 30 to 50 years often before you actually develop the disease-
>> Oh my- >> It takes that long to manifest within the
body. >> Without you even knowing?
>> You wouldn't know at all.
>> And then what starts happening after those
years? >> After certain amount of time your body
stops being able to react to the infiltration of asbestos and then you start developing
this disease, mesothelioma. At first it may just feel like a low back pain or it may feel
like a little cough or other symptoms that could be pneumonia-like and so you think thats
what you have but if you're exposed to asbestos it's important to let your doctor know that
you were because they may start looking at something other than pneumonia or back sprain.
>> And Ricky, who falls victim to this? >> The majority of the people that develop
this disease were in occupations that are part of the trades, whether you are a pipe
fitter, a plumber, a carpenter, electrician or another significant audience is anybody
who's worked on ships, whether you be in the Navy or Coast Guard, Merchant Marines et cetera.
>> And I can only imagine when someone hears the news, not only is there shock for that
individual but for the entire family, it's got to be so painful.
>> Yeah, it's a devastating disease. When you hear that, your primary focus for those
families is immediately how do we take care of our loved one with the disease, how do
we seek the treatment, let's do what's best for them.
>> And let's talk about Sokolove Law, what are you doing in terms of helping these people
and the advantages that one would have to go see you?
>> Yeah, at Sokolove Law we understand that these people have been given this devastating
news and they have to do something about that, but they have to do something about it medically. When they call us we take care of the legal aspects of a case or claim they may have.
So we go to their homes, we do interviews there, we make it as easy as possible. They
should concentrate on fighting this disease, we'll concentrate on giving them justice.
>> So really it does involve the whole family because you need to not only talk to the victim
but also the family members in terms of finding out what happened here?
>> Yeah, I mean often family members and sometimes it's more like a brother or a sister that
knew them when they were young knew exactly where they were exposed and what happened,
and so everybody get's involved. And let's face it, the nuclear family, the husband and
wife, depending on which one is injured, they're concentrating on helping their spouse
and so it's often at times we talk to other family members to help assist in building
a case. >> There is no cure for this disease, obviously.
>> There isn't, not that right now, there's a lot of research going on and we're hopeful.
>> So when you hear these victims, they obviously know what's going to happen?
>> Generally speaking they do, yes.
>> Is it somewhat, and I say this very carefully,
rewarding for you to know that you've helped somebody that knows that they will eventually
die from this? >> That's why I do this. I mean, we started
this interview off talking about blue collar families which is where I come from and I
want to seek justice for them. This is an avoidable disease. If people don't use asbestos,
manufacturers didn't use asbestos in their product people wouldn't have this disease.
And so it gives a great deal of satisfaction to get justice for these people.
And you have people that thank you all the time because they want to leave knowing that
their family is taken care of.
>> You've had so many cases at Sokolove Law,
is there one that stands out in your mind that you just ... You'll never forget?
>> I remember an elderly gentleman who was battling the disease, his health was failing
rapidly and he just looked at me when he got his first check and said, "Thank you so much,
my roof is leaking, my wife doesn't have to live with this leaking roof anymore, I know
it's going to be fixed, I know you guys will take care of her."
>> Really great information today Ricky. For anybody out there that may know someone who's
been diagnosed with mesothelioma, anywhere they can go to find out more about your law
firm? >> Yes, they should go to the web, to sokolovelaw.Com
and they'll find all the information they need there.
>> Thank you so much for what you do..
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