A person who was in a wheelchair suffered severe injuries in a San Francisco car accident after being hit by a pickup truck. According to a news report in the San Francisco Chronicle, the major injury collision occurred the morning of October 28, 2011 at the intersection of Harrison and Seventh streets. Officials say the person in the wheelchair was crossing in a marked crosswalk. As other cars waited for the motorized wheelchair to cross, the driver of a Toyota pickup truck pulled forward and struck the victim. The driver stayed at the scene. The victim was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

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A 42-year-old man was critically injured in a San Francisco area car accident after he was struck by a car while walking in a marked crosswalk. According to a news report in The Santa Cruz Sentinel, the major injury pedestrian accident occurred the night of October 18, 2011 at the intersection of Dakota and Soquel avenues in Santa Cruz. The man was walking in a crosswalk when he was hit by a 1998 Honda Civic traveling at a high rate of speed. The victim struck the vehicle's windshield. The motorist then stopped abruptly throwing the victim off the car and causing him to hit the ground several feet ahead. The driver fled in the Honda but abandoned it a few blocks away. The victim suffered severe head and other life-threatening injuries. Police are still looking for the hit-and-run driver.

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A 17-year-old boy is still in a medically induced coma after he was severely injured in a San Francisco area car accident, the night of October 14, 2011. According to an ABC news report, the major injury collision occurred on Pear Tree Lane near Villa Lane in Napa. The boy's body was thrown onto the windshield of a parked SUV, officials say. The driver who struck him fled the scene of the crash. Officials say the victim suffered major head injuries. He is not believed to have been biking or skateboarding at the time. Police say the owner of the parked SUV was not involved. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to text their tip to Napa Valley Crime Stoppers at 274637.

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A 33-year-old man was seriously injured in a San Francisco car accident after a car struck him as he attempted to cross the street. According to a KTVU news report, the injury pedestrian accident occurred in San Francisco's Chinatown near Kearny and Washington streets, the morning of October 2, 2011. The man was crossing the road when a vehicle backed into him. He sustained life-threatening injuries and is being treated in a nearby hospital. The driver remained at the scene of the crash. It is unclear if the motorist will be cited for the collision.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victim of this San Francisco accident. I wish him the very best for a full and quick recovery.

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Nicholas Azevedo, 18, was seriously injured in a Stanislaus County car accident when his 2000 Jeep Wrangler struck a tractor trailer and a lamppost. According to a news report in The Turlock Journal, the truck accident occurred along Highway 99, the morning of August 8, 2011. Azevedo was in the fast lane when he attempted to change lanes and the right side of his Jeep struck a tractor-trailer. His vehicle then left the roadway and crashed into a light post. He sustained major injuries and was in a coma, but his mother has stated that he has shown signs of recovery and is responsive. It is not clear what led to the crash or if anyone will be cited for the collision.

My best wishes are with Nicholas Azevedo as he recovers from his serious injuries. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this difficult time.

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Ingrid Coronel, 17, and Deshawn Moore, 15, who were passengers in a van carrying a juvenile probation work detail, were killed in a Fresno area car accident after a pickup truck blew through a stop sign and struck their van. According to a news report in The Fresno Bee, the fatal car accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 190 and Road 152, near Tipton. California Highway Patrol officials say 37-year-old Juan Gabriel Reyes was driving a full-sized pickup owned by his employer, J & W Tire Service when he ran the stop sign and struck the van. Reyes, who was a tire repairman, was driving on an expired license, according to DMV records.

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If you've got legal questions, BISNAR | CHASE has got legal answers…for free. Victims of catastrophic injury accidents now have an expert source of legal knowledge without having to sign a retainer or pay a hefty attorney's fee. It's called the BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law knowledge base and you can get access through their bestattorney.com website. The firm has put up the most common client questions with in-depth answers that, in most cases, will be able to give victims an idea of how the process works, and what to expect. More

Beginning in January 2011, California nursing homes will be required to post their federal star ratings. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, this new law will go into effect January 1, 2011. California is the first state in the country to make it mandatory for nursing homes to post these federal ratings, which give nursing homes one to five stars depending on quality of care provided at the facility. This rating is similar to restaurants' letter grades in counties such as Los Angeles, which reflect compliance with health and safety standards. More

A DUI collision in the Sierra City area seriously injured three members of a local family, identified by officials as Heather Laboie, 42, Donna Howard, 66, and Laboie's 6-year-old daughter. The Sierra Sun reports that the injury collision occurred on Highway 89 on July 21, 2010, when a suspected drunk driver crashed his pickup truck into the victims' 2002 Acura. The three victims were taken to area medical centers as was 34-year-old Matthew Dubois, the driver of the other vehicle, who was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI. More

One person was killed and two others, all from Los Angeles, were injured in a Fresno car accident after their van crashed on the Interstate 5, the morning of July 27, 2010. According to a news report in The Fresno Bee, the accident, which happened near Coalinga, injured the driver, Jimmy Sanpakit, 68, of Arleta, and another passenger, Kuangrudee Kla-harn, 71, of Van Nuys. Their van was northbound on the freeway, close to Highway 145, when a tread separated from one of the tires. The driver lost control of the vehicle. A 68-year-old male passenger from North Hollywood sustained fatal injuries in this crash. His identity has not yet been released. An investigation is ongoing. More