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Every day across the United States, thousands of drivers are rear-ended in traffic—and most are told by insurance adjusters that a low-speed impact is nothing to worry about. Yet inside the skull, sudden whiplash forces can trigger a cascade of neurological damage that standard scans miss completely.
Dan Mleziva learned this firsthand after a 2021 crash changed the course of his life. In a landmark $17.5 million verdict, the Brain Injury Law Center trial team showed a jury just how much one collision had taken from him.
Brain injury law isn't just one area of our practice. It's all we do. For nearly five decades, Brain Injury Law Center has devoted its time, resources, and legal experience exclusively to representing brain injury survivors and their families. We recognize how even seemingly minor injuries can change someone's life.
If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury, call us at (757) 244-7000 or complete our online contact form for a free consultation.
The Crash That Changed Dan's Life
The warm summer day of June 30, 2021, will forever be remembered as the day that changed Dan Mleziva's life. It was a simple rear-end accident, one of over 4,000 that occur each day in the United States. The other driver was a coach for a Virginia private school and was driving home from a competition in a school vehicle within the scope of his employment. The case was litigated for several years. Liability, or being "at fault," was admitted about a week before trial.
With fault no longer in dispute, the trial centered on the extent of the harm Dan had suffered. What some might view as a straightforward rear-end collision had caused serious and lasting medical problems
The Dangers of TBIs: An Injury That Doesn’t Show Up at the Scene
The trial was all about the amount and value of the damage that had been done in what many people might consider a simple rear-end collision. Brain injuries, including mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs), can be difficult to diagnose. Unlike a broken arm or leg, they may not appear on routine X-rays or MRI scans. Some of the physical signs of trauma may also be hidden. Plus, a person does not even have to hit their head to sustain a mild traumatic brain injury.
A headache, for example, is something other people cannot necessarily see or measure by looking at you. In Dan's case, his brain injury was similarly difficult for others to recognize. This is one reason traumatic brain injuries are often called "invisible injuries."
Chronic headaches were just the beginning of Dan's suffering. He endured daily, painful headaches that would interrupt his home life and work functions. His ability to analyze problems in a fast-paced environment was diminished. His work performance suffered, and his livelihood was in jeopardy.
It was later determined that he developed hydrocephalus, an enlargement of the brain's ventricles, and was in need of brain surgery to install a shunt to relieve pressure in the brain. A shunt is a medical device that is commonly used to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Hydrocephalus is a condition that can impair a person's ability to function, from the basics of memory to motor skills, coordination, and balance. An mTBI affects all functional areas, including executive function, which allows a person to plan, focus, set goals, and achieve outcomes.
What many without a brain injury do not understand is that problems with executive function can affect split-second decisions during an emergency, or the complex reasoning and planning involved in business or family affairs. The shunt helped, but it did not relieve Dan of the symptoms he suffered from the TBI.
Seven Days in Court: How BILC Proved the True Cost of Dan’s TBI
The Brain Injury Law Center's trial team consisted of David Holt, Stewart Gill, Samantha Cohn, and veteran brain injury lawyer Stephen M. Smith.
The trial lasted for seven days. Our team spent 18- to 20-hour days on preparation, analysis, and scrutiny of the evidence and arguments presented on Dan's behalf. After two and a half hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of $17,500,000.
The verdict reflected the evidence presented at trial and the serious effects Dan's brain injury had on his health, work, and daily life. His case also demonstrates why it is important to look beyond the initial appearance of an accident when evaluating a potential brain injury claim.
Standing With TBI Survivors When No One Else Sees the Damage
Dan Mleziva’s story mirrors what thousands of brain injury survivors face every single day: looking fine on the outside while fighting an exhausting battle just to think, focus, and function on the inside. This $17.5 million verdict stands as proof that when the medical truth of a traumatic brain injury is brought into the light, juries will hold negligent parties fully accountable.
If you or someone you love is experiencing cognitive changes, chronic headaches, or balance issues after a crash or fall, even one dismissed as "minor,” do not let an insurance company tell you what your symptoms are worth.
Brain Injury Law Center fights exclusively for neurotrauma survivors and their families nationwide. Contact us at (757) 244-7000 or reach out online to schedule a free consultation and get the answers you deserve.
