Peter Vlantis
Illinois
I was raised on the Northwest side of Chicago by hard working blue-collar parents that both worked to support our family. I have seen firsthand the difficulties people face living paycheck to paycheck trying to support a family. I have also seen the burden placed on a family when one of the bread winners is injured and cannot work. When I was a child, my father was injured by an improperly maintained step right outside our apartment. His injury required that he wear a cast on his leg. As a delivery driver, this meant he could not work to support us. He initially did not know what to do. I would hear him and my mother ask each other: Who will pay the medical bills? How will we survive on one paycheck? How will we make the rent next month? How will the kids eat? For a long time, these questions went unanswered. I saw my family in the lowest of lows ever experienced. Savings were depleted. They borrowed money from anyone they could. These hard working parents having to borrow money to stay afloat really made them feel as if they lost their dignity. It wasn’t until they found a personal injury attorney who was able to help them get their life back on track. My father’s bills were paid, his lost wages, were compensated, he received a settlement, and he was able to pay back all of his loans. More importantly, he regained his dignity. I knew right there that I wanted to fight for injured people and help them get their life back on track if they ever suffered the misfortune of being hurt while working or as a result of someone else’s carelessness. When I graduated from law school, my goal was simple, help injured people regain their dignity and get their life back on track. I understand that a personal injury claim is not only about money. When you are hurt, you will have multiple questions and concerns that will need to be addressed. Having lived through it first hand, I can answer those difficult questions and help you regain your dignity.