More tragic news for the family of John Graziano -- Nick Hogan's infamous 2007 crash victim -- TMZ has learned John's younger brother Michael has died from injuries he sustained in a car accident earlier this month.

As we previously reported, Michael was a passenger in a 1994 Volvo which slammed into the back of a dump truck on a Florida highway on April 3. Like his brother John, he was not wearing a seat belt.

Michael was rushed to the hospital where he remained in critical condition for several days.

Now, officials say Michael has "expired from his injuries sustained in the April 3rd traffic crash."

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Unlike Nick Hogan -- who spent some serious time in jail for the 2007 crash -- no charges have been filed against the driver in Michael's accident ... yet.

It's one of the grisliest coincidences ever -- 5 years after Nick Hogan nearly killed his passenger in a car accident ... the passenger's brother is now in critical condition, after getting into a near-fatal car wreck himself. 

In case you forgot ... Nick Hogan was racing his sports car in Florida back in 2007, when he lost control and crashed into a tree. His passenger, John Graziano, is expected to spend the rest of his life in a vegetative state.


Now John's brother Michael Graziano suffered an eerily similar fate -- getting into a serious car accident ... in which he was also the passenger. Even worse ... Michael was NOT wearing a seatbelt, just like his brother John.

The Florida Highway Patrol says the car Graziano was riding in -- a 1994 Volvo -- slammed into the back of a dump truck at 2:30 a.m.

Graziano was rushed to Bayfront Medical Center where he is currently in critical condition. The car's driver was also taken to Bayfront, though his injuries aren't believed to be life-threatening.

Hulk and Nick Hogan have settled the lawsuit filed against them on behalf of John Graziano -- the U.S. Marine who was seriously injured in Nick's 2007 car crash.

Though the terms are confidential, a source tells TMZ Hulk settled to avoid a media circus at trial and to make it "as painless as possible" for both the Hogan and Graziano families.

The Hogans' attorney, David R. Houston, tells TMZ they are "pleased as this was in the best interest of John."

As we previously reported, Linda Hogan -- who was also sued over the crash -- reached a settlement with the family last month.

Linda Hogan has officially paid for her son's horrific 2007 car crash -- the one that left a marine with serious brain injuries.

Hogan's attorney claims Linda reached a financial settlement in an auto negligence lawsuit with the family of John Graziano -- who was riding shotgun when Nick Hogan crashed his car into a tree while racing down a Florida highway.

The terms of the settlement are confidential.

As for Hulk and Nick Hogan -- a lawyer for the Graziano family tells us they don't expect the men to settle before the next scheduled court date in September.

Linda's attorney tells TMZ, "With the resolution of this matter [The Grazianos] can have finality and Linda is able to assist John."

Hulk Hogan claims his own lawyers backstabbed him after Nick's 2007 car crash -- charging him over $1 million for legal representation he could have gotten for FREE.

Hulk's beef is with big-time law firm Zuckerman Spaeder.

Hulk claims after Nick's crash -- in which his passenger John Graziano suffered severe brain damage -- Zuckerman was contacted multiple times by Hulk's insurance company, Progressive, which offered to provide an experienced lawyer to represent the Hogan's in the civil case ... free of charge.

In the lawsuit, filed today in Pinellas County, Hulk claims Zuckerman failed to let him know about Progressive's offer for 17 months -- forcing him to pay in "excess of one million dollars" to Zuck and crew for legal representation he could have gotten without paying a cent.

Hulk also alleges that by the time his lawyers told him about Progressive's offer, the insurance company had "terminated the relationship" with Hulk and refused to pay for the bulk of Zuck's massive legal tab.

Hulk is suing for unspecified damages.

The Iraq War veteran who suffered brain damage when Nick Hogan wrecked his car on August 26, 2007 was finally released from the hospital today.

John Graziano left the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa today in the care of his mother, after doctors determined his condition had improved enough to go home, this according to TampaBay.com.

John -- who will still need 24-hour assistance -- fractured his skull when Hogan's car hit a palm tree in Clearwater, FL during a street race. Hogan spent five months in jail over the accident -- the Graziano's civil lawsuit against the Hogan family is still pending.

Nick Hogan was all smiles yesterday at the Formula Drift car race in Long Beach, Calif.



We're sure John Graziano would be thrilled that Nick may be learning how to drag race more effectively -- except John is in a permanent vegetative state, thanks to Nicky boy.

Hulk Hogan wants to stop Linda Hogan's BF Charlie from driving cars on his insurance policy, claiming Charlie's "endangering the public."


Lest we forget ... his own son Nick, who crashed his dad's car and left passenger John Graziano in a vegetative state, is behind the wheel again.

The guy behind the wheel is Nick Hogan -- the guy in the passenger seat is the ballsiest guy on the planet.



Nick is officially back behind the wheel -- driving a brave passenger around in a black Range Rover near Agoura Hills, California on Monday night. It's been around 18 months since Nick's '07 car wreck that left his last passenger and friend, John Graziano, in a vegetative state -- and Nick behind bars and without a license.

The DMV granted him a driving permit last month for business-related excursions.

The father of John Graziano, the young man left in a vegetative state after Nick Hogan's 2007 car crash, was arrested today for trying to solicit a hit man to kill his estranged wife -- and cops say he tried to pay for it using a gift card.

According to police, Edward Graziano told an undercover officer posing as a "go-between" to a hit man that he wanted to have his wife Debra killed. Perhaps most troubling -- cops say Graziano wanted her killed in an automobile accident.

Graziano allegedly paid for the hit with $1,100 cash, a $1,000 personal check and a $13.06 gift card to Westshore Pizza.

The arrest is the culmination of a two-and-half month long undercover investigation by the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigative Division.

Debra's attorney released this statement: "She is saddened by all of this. She can't believe so much tragedy can strike one family. Her main purpose is concentrating on John getting better."

Nick Hogan hasn't visited the kid he left paralyzed for life since he left prison -- but it's not for a lack of trying.

Nick was rolling in Vegas, when he told our cameras the reason he hasn't seen John Graziano -- who's been in a vegetative state since Nick's August, 2007 car crash -- is because John's family has refused to let him into the hospital.

But here's the million dollar question: Do you really blame them?