Associate Attorney
mnf@mcmanuslawfirm.com
Michael N. Folga concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury and workers’ compensation. Mr. Folga has successfully handled hundreds of cases at both the state and federal level as well as the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Mr. Folga graduated from DePaul University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Psychology. He then earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the Valparaiso University School of Law in 2012 graduating in the top 25%. Additionally, while attending Valparaiso University, Mr. Folga competed for the university’s Trial Advocacy team. Mr. Folga was then admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois in 2012 and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 2014.
Before joining Brian J. McManus & Associates, Ltd., Mr. Folga practiced in the areas of residential and commercial real estate law, zoning law, municipal law, collections law and condominium law.
Mr. Folga has a diverse and well-rounded background enabling him to offer insightful and creative approaches to his client’s maximizing their recoveries. Furthermore, Mr. Folga is a highly competitive and fierce advocate for his clients.
Since joining Brian J. McManus & Associates, Ltd. in 2014 he has only represented injured plaintiffs and petitioners. Mike handles cases throughout all phases of litigation and he has resolved hundreds of cases through trial, settlement, mediation, and arbitration. Mike was also recognized and nominated as an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2023 and 2024. Furthermore, Mike has been lead counsel on several notable cases resulting in significant outcomes, including, but not limited to:
$1,209,000.00 prove up for an operations agent who was assaulted while handling gate operations resulting in severe bilateral knee and neck injuries, permanent disability, and a substantial wage loss.
$660,000 – for a man who was involved in a head-on collision automobile accident which caused knee and wrist injuries resulting in him undergoing 3 knee surgeries and a wrist surgery and not returning to work.
$434,772 – for an electric lineman who developed the permanent chest condition of costochondritis as a result of lifting heavy electric cables necessitating an electric stimulator chest implant and permanent restrictions. He was unable to return to his occupation as a lineman as a result of his injuries.
$430,000 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who suffered injuries to her neck and back from heavy lifting on the job that necessitated a cervical spine fusion surgery, lumbar fusion surgery, and permanent nerve damage necessitating a spinal cord stimulator implant and permanent restrictions. She was unable to return to her position as a flight attendant as a result of her injuries.
$355,750 – for a woman who tripped and fell over an exposed wire causing traumatic brain and neck injuries resulting in her undergoing a rotator cuff repair surgery, shoulder replacement surgery, and developing post-traumatic concussive syndrome. The Plaintiff also missed a lengthy period of time from work.
$300,000 – for a woman who was involved in a rear-end automobile accident which caused severe cervical injuries resulting in her undergoing a cervical fusion procedure.
$278,000 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who suffered injuries to her bilateral shoulders from heavy lifting on the job that necessitated rotator cuff repair surgery and the need for a future shoulder replacement. She was unable to return to her position as a flight attendant as a result of her injuries.
$252,000 – for a Union carpenter who tripped and fell over a plastic buckle onto misplaced steel beams severely injuring his knee. The Plaintiff underwent a complex knee surgery to repair a torn ACL, meniscus and cartilage as well as extensive post-operative therapy and he could no longer work as a Union carpenter.
$250,000 – for a woman who was involved in rear-end automobile accident which caused severe lumbar injuries resulting in her undergoing a lumbar fusion procedure. The Plaintiff also missed a lengthy period of time from work.
$250,000 – for a woman who slipped and fell causing traumatic brain and neck injuries resulting in her undergoing a cervical fusion procedure and developing permanent cognitive and memory deficits. The Plaintiff also missed a lengthy period of time from work.
$250,000 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured his shoulder from heavy lifting on the job that necessitated a labral repair surgery and permanent restrictions. He was unable to return to his position as a flight attendant as a result of his injuries.
$250,000 – for a veteran who was involved in an automobile accident which caused severe shoulder and neck injuries requiring that he undergo cervical fusion and rotator cuff repair procedures.
$249,999 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured her right wrist from heavy lifting on the job and then reinjured the same wrist and hurt her neck falling off an employee bus necessitating a right wrist TFCC repair surgery which resulted in permanent lifting restrictions. She was unable to return to her position as a flight attendant as a result of her injuries.
$240,000 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who slipped and fell at O’Hare Airport sustaining a broken humerus requiring an internal fixation surgical procedure and revision surgery. The Plaintiff also missed a lengthy period of time from work.
$219,000 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured her right shoulder from heavy lifting on the job that necessitated a rotator cuff repair surgery and permanent restrictions. She was unable to return to her position as a flight attendant as a result of her injuries.
$195,000 – for a women who tripped and fell in a parking lot full of multiple dangerous potholes aggravating and hastening a pre-existing low back injury. The Plaintiff underwent a lumbar fusion surgery and extensive post-operative therapy and has permanent disability.
$190,000 – for a women who was involved in two rear-end automobile accidents within a 3 month timeframe and which caused severe lumbar and cervical injuries resulting in a cervical fusion. The Plaintiff also missed a lengthy period of time from work.
$187,500 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured her low back from heavy lifting on the job that necessitated two lumbar fusion surgeries and resulted in permanent restrictions. She was unable to return to her position as a flight attendant as a result of her injuries.
$157,967 – for a man who tripped and fell while working aggravating pre-existing back and knee injuries as well as resulting in a broken hip. The Plaintiff underwent a hip replacement surgery as well as disputed surgeries to his knee and back.
$155,569 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured her neck, back, elbow and knees on the job that necessitated a cervical fusion surgery, epidural steroid injections and resulted in restrictions.
$150,000 – for a man who cleaned train cars and permanently worsened his asthmatic condition by using dangerous and toxic cleaning chemicals as directed by his employer to do his job. The Plaintiff also missed a lengthy period of time from work.
$150,000 – for a man who was involved in an unavoidable accident when a driver failed to yield turning left in front of him and which led to severe lumbar injuries and resulted in his being administered several steroid injections and being prescribed a low back surgery.
$147,000 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured his rotator cuff that necessitated rotator cuff repair surgery. He was unable to return to his position as a flight attendant as a result of his injuries.
$140,000 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured her ankle and aggravated an underlying neck condition necessitating a 3 level cervical fusion surgery.
$120,056 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured his rotator cuff that necessitated rotator cuff repair surgery, a revision shoulder surgery, as well as 3 surgeries for his right hand.
$115,000 – for a United Airlines baggage handler who injured his low back resulting in permanent lifting restrictions. He was unable to return to his position as a baggage handler as a result of his injuries.
$110,000 – for a driver in a rear-end automobile collision. The Plaintiff sustained multiple injuries to her bilateral shoulders and neck requiring various injections.
$110,000 – for a United Airlines baggage handler who injured his neck and shoulders resulting in permanent lifting restrictions. He was unable to return to his position as a baggage handler as a result of his injuries.
$107,122 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured her shoulder, wrist and thumb requiring rotator cuff repair and wrist surgeries.
$105,497 – for a United Airlines flight attendant who injured her shoulder, head and ankle requiring a rotator cuff repair and revision repair surgery.
$100,000 – for a passenger in a vehicle that collided into a tree killing the driver of the vehicle and seriously injuring other passengers in the vehicle. The Plaintiff sustained massive injuries to his leg, clavicle, ribs, thoracic vertebra, and had multiple surgeries.
$100,000 – for a passenger in a rear-end automobile collision. The Plaintiff sustained multiple injuries to her hip, back, neck, and shoulders and required multiple surgeries.
$100,000 – for an actor who fell off of a defective bicycle during a movie production. The Plaintiff sustained facial scarring and a broken hand requiring surgery with hardware.
$100,000 – for a flight attendant who injured her ankle and required three surgeries and was given permanent work restrictions.
$100,000 – for the driver in a side impact automobile collision. The Plaintiff sustained multiple injuries to her neck and back requiring multiple injections.
$100,000 – for the driver in a side impact automobile collision. The Plaintiff sustained multiple injuries to her neck, shoulder, and abdomen requiring injections and surgery.
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