Getting Support for Advanced Malignant Mesothelioma
John was supposed to be enjoying a well-deserved retirement with his wife Dee when he began having difficulty breathing. Dee promptly encouraged him to go to urgent care. Testing revealed John had advanced malignant mesothelioma.
John’s cancer was in stage 4 and considered terminal, bringing emotional and financial uncertainty for the entire family. Wanting to better understand their options and get help navigating what lay ahead, John and Dee turned to Sokolove Law.
Dee: "The day started out fine. John, we got up, and John, which is unusual for him, just came out of the bedroom and just sat down. And he said I just don't feel good, and I knew something was wrong because John doesn't complain. I said well I think we should probably go to the ER. They found out that there was over 2 liters of fluid on his left lung, and they were amazed that he was even able to breathe period. They did a CAT scan, and that's when he just said you have stage four mesothelioma, John.
John: "I was kind of blank I didn't know what to think. I didn't realize that my job had exposed me to this."
Dee: "We're the Stahls — I'm Dee, and this is my husband John."
John: "My name is John Stahl. I was first exposed to asbestos poisoning through a construction business through sheetrock through gaskets and piping all through my career, and I worked 43 years in construction business. If you don't work, you don't get paid. The first treatment was with chemotherapy, and I went every two weeks. It didn't take long an hour or so, but it'd take me 7 to 10 days to recover. That was hard for me because I'm a pretty active person."
Dee: "Asbestos is poison and it's a prescription for death. Yeah, I don't know. It's not curable, right?"
John: "Well, when I first I didn't really really sink in longer and longer we thought I thought about it, it's going to end my life eventually, but I'm gonna live in as well as I can.
Dee: "It made me mad and sad and to think that these manufacturers could continue knowing that there was asbestos that could hurt people continued to make these products for how many years years and years — and look what it's done to the love of my life. It's heartbreaking. After we got over the shock of the diagnosis and and slept on it that night, the next morning, I said to John, I'm going to call Sokolove Law, the company that I saw on the TV. I contacted them, and they were very compassionate, kind, caring. It was just a great experience."
John: "My kids are going to be taken care of. They're going to be taken care of, so it's a peace of mind knowing that I don't have to worry about them going down the road."
Dee: "I want people out there to realize that there is help, and they can get assistance and get a settlement from these manufacturers that continue to use this and know that it was dangerous for people."
John: "We filed a mesothelioma lawsuit to hold companies accountable. It's important to people who understand that there's help, and there's people there willing to help them go through this process of making these companies liable for what they've caused."
With a team of experienced mesothelioma lawyers on their side, the Stahls were able to recover significant compensation that helped the couple afford treatment and life after.
“Calling Sokolove Law was the best thing we ever did,” Dee said. “It has been easy for us, and they took the stress away.”
Their attorney explained each step of the legal process in detail and handled all of the work for them, giving the couple space to focus on John’s care and each other during this difficult time.
Since 1979, Sokolove Law has secured more than $5.5 Billion for thousands of mesothelioma victims and their families.
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Reaching Out to Sokolove Law
Within 24 hours of John’s stage 4 mesothelioma diagnosis, Dee decided to call Sokolove Law after seeing a commercial on television. She was immediately struck by how helpful and friendly the firm was — even from the first phone call.
“When I contacted them, it was on a weekend. The person answering the phone was kind, professional, compassionate, and just took her time,” Dee said. “I, of course, was very emotional as she would ask questions, but she never pushed me to hurry. It was fantastic.”
After John and Dee reached out to Sokolove Law, an investigator from the firm came to their home within days to discuss the case. Again, they were met with care and understanding at a time when they needed it most.
From there, John and Dee met with the asbestos lawyers who would be handling their mesothelioma lawsuit, and the Stahls hit it off with their attorney immediately.
“Dee took the bull by the horns and called Sokolove Law,” explained John. “Our lawyer is one of the greatest guys I’ve ever met. It was just a good experience.”
Getting Legal Help for Mesothelioma
John and Dee had never filed a lawsuit against a corporation before, but our mesothelioma law firm guided them through the process and put them at ease from day one.
Though their lawyer quickly felt like a good friend, he also worked methodically behind the scenes — pinpointing John’s asbestos exposure, filing the lawsuit, and pursuing mesothelioma compensation on his behalf.
"Filing the lawsuit was easy because our lawyer made it easy. He explained what was going to happen, and it was pretty simple.”
– John Stahl, Mesothelioma Patient & Firm Client
All the while, John was able to fully devote his energy to pursuing mesothelioma treatment in an effort to live longer. He began undergoing chemotherapy every 2 weeks, and it would often take him days to recover. All the while, the legal work progressed in the background without adding to the family’s burden.
“When you contact Sokolove Law, you're going to have a company that's very professional,” Dee said. “Everybody's very compassionate, caring, wanting to know how whoever's sick is doing, how their prognosis is going, that kind of thing. They're kind, and they're great.”
Proving Exposure to Asbestos in Construction Materials
Early on in mesothelioma lawsuits, attorneys will work with clients to gather information that helps prove asbestos exposure and confirm a diagnosis. With a warehouse of records and evidence, this process is often simple for our clients.
In John’s case, we learned that he was routinely exposed through his decades of work in the construction industry.
“I was exposed to asbestos through Sheetrock®, mud, gaskets in piping, respirators, cartridges, and filters. They had asbestos in them all through my career,” John said.
John, like so many construction workers who worked around asbestos, never knew that his job would someday cause him to develop cancer. However, the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products knew the risks and hid them for decades.
Pursuing Compensation for Mesothelioma
As John's mesothelioma lawsuit progressed, Sokolove Law worked to negotiate payouts through out-of-court settlements. Over 99% of the mesothelioma lawsuits we handle settle, allowing families like John's to receive compensation without the need for a trial.
While certain parts of the settlement negotiation process, like depositions, were challenging for the Stahls, they felt supported by Sokolove Law throughout.
“They helped John prepare,” Dee said. “He was very nervous, and they worked with him, so he didn’t feel as nervous.”
With all of the information they had gathered and prepared, our mesothelioma attorneys were able to recover meaningful compensation on the Stahls’ behalf. The relief was immense. John was able to cover his treatment costs and make sure his children would be provided for.
“He has peace of mind knowing that there's money there for his kids, and that's really important to both of us,” Dee said. “That alone was great.”
Celebrating Late-Stage Mesothelioma Survivorship
Thanks to the mesothelioma settlements, John and Dee had no financial worries. John decided to use a small portion of the money to fulfill a lifelong dream of buying a Corvette, his dream car.
The Stahls had more reasons to celebrate too. After undergoing chemotherapy, John began to feel better. Today, he’s a 7-year mesothelioma survivor, far outliving the average life expectancy for this disease.
“I’m doing very well, as a matter of fact. I play golf twice a week. I ride side to side. I go hang out with my friends when they're around. I'm pretty well back to normal.”
– John, Mesothelioma Survivor & Firm Client
John is grateful to be a stage 4 pleural mesothelioma survivor. While there’s always the worry of mesothelioma in the background, He and Dee continue to remain positive and try to stay in the moment, knowing they held the companies responsible for his illness accountable.
“My dream life is now,” Dee said. “I'm living my dream. Being retired, having John halfway healthy. He's able to do things and be happy. John's a very positive guy. He makes you happy.”
Encouraging Other Asbestos Victims to Seek Justice
When John and Dee learned that he had been poisoned by asbestos-related companies for decades, they knew they needed to act.
“We filed a mesothelioma lawsuit because the companies need to be accountable,” John recalled. “The companies that used asbestos are a disgrace. They shouldn't be in business.”
By working with our mesothelioma attorneys, the Stahls were able to ensure the asbestos-related companies involved in John’s exposure had to pay for the harm they caused. This justice gave them additional peace of mind.
“It made me mad and sad to think that these manufacturers could continue, knowing that there was asbestos, to make these products for years and years,” Dee said. “Look what it's done to the love of my life. It's heartbreaking.”
John and Dee have a clear message for others facing mesothelioma: You don’t have to go through it alone. Dedicated asbestos law firms like Sokolove Law can provide legal help after a diagnosis.
Get Support for Mesothelioma Now
John and Dee Stahl show that with the power of positivity, anything is possible — even defying a stage 4 mesothelioma diagnosis. Sokolove Law was honored to help John keep his family financially secure.
For over 45 years, our firm has supported those who were harmed by the asbestos industry. To date, we’ve secured over $5.5 Billion for thousands of patients and families across the country.
“I would definitely recommend Sokolove Law. We've already recommended some friends, and they're already working with them. They were right on it. They've been impressed with them too.”
– Dee, John's Wife & Firm Client
There are no upfront costs or hourly fees to work with our asbestos attorneys. We only get paid if we recover compensation on your behalf.
Call (800) 647-3434 now or fill out our contact form to see how we may be able to assist you or somebody you love who is facing mesothelioma.
