Jody’s Story

As a business owner and California native, Jody spent years using popular talcum powder products. She was unaware that they could be contaminated with asbestos until she was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma from talc exposure.

After learning that some talc companies may have known about the risks but failed to warn consumers, Jody decided to contact a mesothelioma law firm for help seeking justice and compensation.

For nearly five decades, Jody built a career doing what she loved: talking with people and helping them feel their best. A licensed manicurist, she and her sister ran their own salon together in California for over 30 years.

“We were extremely blessed,” said Jody. “It was honestly a pleasure to go to work every day.”

For most of her life, Jody considered herself reasonably healthy. However, that all changed when she began experiencing unexplained bleeding.

Concerned, Jody visited multiple doctors in search of answers. After nearly 4 years of uncertainty, she continued advocating for herself and eventually underwent a laparoscopic procedure that revealed a tumor. Doctors then scheduled her for surgery.

“When they opened me up, they were amazed,” recalled Jody. “I had over 20 tumors in my abdomen. They were able to do a biopsy and found that it was mesothelioma.”

After being diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, Jody underwent additional surgery. Doctors also performed a heated chemotherapy treatment that bathed her abdomen in medication designed to destroy remaining cancer cells.

As she recovered, Jody’s son traveled from Virginia to help care for her. While watching TV one afternoon, he came across information that pointed to a possible cause of her disease.

“He’s the one who saw the firm’s commercial about the connection between the talcum powders that I used and mesothelioma,” explained Jody.

For decades, applying talc-based body powder had been part of Jody’s daily routine. After moving to California’s high desert in the mid-1980s, she began applying powder to prevent perspiration in the hot climate.

“Gold Bond^® was my go-to. I would use that every day,” Jody recalled. “I used Johnson’s^® Baby Powder too. I didn’t know anything was wrong with it.”

Talc, a naturally occurring mineral used in many cosmetics, can be contaminated with asbestos during the mining process. When talc products are used, microscopic asbestos fibers can enter the body and cause illnesses like mesothelioma to develop decades later.

Jody decided to contact our mesothelioma law firm for help taking legal action and holding the companies responsible for her illness accountable.

“A gentleman came to my house and interviewed me,” said Jody. “He was beyond kind and made me feel extremely comfortable.”

After learning about her history of talcum powder use, our attorneys were able to file a mesothelioma lawsuit and pursue compensation on her behalf.

“It was easier than I could have imagined,” said Jody. “I went in blind. I know nothing about the legal system, but my mesothelioma lawyer walked me through everything. They did all the work. I just tried to help where I could.”

The compensation she received allowed Jody to hire people to help care for her husband and provided her with peace of mind that her children will be financially secure.

At Simmons Hanly Conroy, we handle every aspect of the legal process, so clients can focus on taking care of their health and spending time with loved ones.

From gathering evidence to prove asbestos exposure and negotiating settlements, we strive to make the process of filing a lawsuit as stress-free as possible.

“My lawyers knew what they were doing, and they’ve apparently done this for many people,” said Jody. “And so I didn’t have to worry about it. I didn’t really even have to think about it.”

Each and every mesothelioma attorney at our firm is committed to securing meaningful results for our clients and building strong, lasting relationships with those we represent.

“I would recommend other families seek legal help, only if they use Simmons Hanly Conroy,” said Jody. “The firm has done amazing things for me, and I am grateful for that.”