Meet Chester (Chet) L. Cameron, Jr.

Chet received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history, cum laude, from Valparaiso University. There, he also was a Kemper Scholar and an associate of Christ College (Valparaiso University’s interdisciplinary honors college).

In 2013, Chet received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he was a member of the Dean’s List. During law school, Chet served as a legal extern to U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul R. Cherry (Ret.) of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. During law school, Chet also worked as a student attorney for the Washington County, Arkansas Public Defender’s Office and the Arkansas Innocence Project.

Chet is currently admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Illinois, Supreme Court of Indiana, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

In his spare time, Chet likes to spend time with his loved ones, cheer for Chicago sports teams, travel, and read.

1. Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars Top 2.5 % of Attorneys in Indiana under 40 years old
   2018
2. Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars Top 2.5 % of Attorneys in Indiana under 40 years old
   2019
3. Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars Top 2.5 % of Attorneys in Illinois under 40 years old
   2020
4. Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars Top 2.5 % of Attorneys in Illinois under 40 years old
   2021

Walton v. Lake Ridge Schools (confidential settlement amount)

The family of Curtis Walton Jr. reached a settlement with the Lake Ridge School District in the case of their son’s drowning. On September 11, 2019, Curtis Walton Jr., age 14, was found unresponsive in the pool at Calumet High School.

As a football player at the school, Curtis and other players had finished practice and were going to use the pool to cool off. Students discovered Curtis at the bottom of the pool at some point, and upon pulling him out, began administering life-saving measures. Curtis was airlifted to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago and pronounced dead the next morning.

After months of investigating the incident, interviewing individuals, and requesting public records from authorities, Chet was able to negotiate a favorable settlement for the family. In doing so, he was able to alleviate the long and painful process of a lawsuit and trial.

This case received national press coverage, as well as heavy local media coverage from NBC5-Chicago, Post-Tribune, and Northwest Indiana Times.

Confidential Truck Driver v. Confidential Warehouse Company ($550,000)

On January 23, 2019, the plaintiff was making a delivery to defendant’s Plainfield, IN warehouse via a ramp when he was struck by a forklift as it backed out of the warehouse.

Allegedly, the forklift driver, who tested positive for marijuana post-accident, was backing at a high rate of speed and not looking as he exited. Furthermore, no warning was posted that the ramp was used for forklift traffic, even though signage invited visitors to use the ramp for ingress/egress.

The plaintiff sustained a segmental fracture of the right tibial shaft (intramedullary nailing with 10 permanent nails required), plus a lacerated foot and traumatic arthritis of the great toe.

The plaintiff claimed the leg injury required them to perform sedentary work. However, the defendant disputed the extent of these limitations, challenged the reasonable value of his medical bills, and contested the plaintiff’s future lost earnings claim given his sparse work history.

Estate of Bopp v. Marble & Granite ($500,000.00)

On March 11, 2019, the power was shut off at the Marble & Granite Inc. warehouse and showroom in Naperville due to nonpayment. To keep the building’s sump pump operating overnight, the company’s owner rented a 6500-watt gas-powered generator and started running it inside the building – but did not open any windows.

Sometime between 3 AM and 4 AM, Bill Bopp (38) entered the building. Bopp had worked at Marble & Granite as an independent contractor fixture installer, but he was functionally homeless and sometimes used the building as a place to sleep. The next day, he was found lying face down in an office, having succumbed to death by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Bopp was the divorced father of two teenagers, but saw them only occasionally and had accrued significant child support arrearages. He also had a sparse documented earnings history. Among other things, the defense argued that Bopp was trespassing, contended he was warned about the use of the generator prior to the occurrence and had been asked not to be on the premises.

However, the estate asserted that Bopp slept there with the owner’s permission and knowledge.

Confidential Plaintiffs v. Confidential Airline and Confidential
Aircraft Product Manufacturer ($300,000)

An infant had the top third of his right pinky finger amputated by an alleged negligently designed aircraft armrest.

1. Tractor-Trailer
   and Automobile
   Collisions
2. Construction
   Negligence
3. Industrial
   Accidents
4. Premises
   Liability
   (Slip and Fall)
5. Federal and State
   Tort Claims Act
   Cases
6. Police Misconduct
   and Shootings
7. Medical
   Malpractice

Selected Presentations

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
• Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
• Kimbrough Bar Association (Northwest Indiana African American Bar Association)
• American Association for Justice

Community Activities

• All Nations Church of God in Christ, Legal Advisor
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Member