Con Ed Faces $25 Million Lawsuit

First, a woman claiming to suffer from [post-traumatic stress disorder] as a result of her sister’s death in the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center sued Con Ed for its alleged failure to maintain the [steam pipe that burst](http://www.nypress.com/blogx/display_blog.cfm?bid=36716340) last week, exacerbating her condition. Now, a [celebrity dentist](http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=72036) has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the company, saying his practice has been damaged by his [not being able to return](http://www.nysun.com/article/59315) to his office at 122 E. 42nd St since the explosion. “The experience has been emotionally horrible and financially devastating,” he told the press. “The ultimate impact is hard to measure at this point.” And yet somehow, Haber came up with [$25 million](http://www.nypost.com/seven/07272007/news/regionalnews/steamed_dentists_blast_suit_regionalnews_kaili_mcdonnough.htm)—$20 million in damages and $5 million for negligence.

Haber’s attorney, Alan Schnurman, says the lawsuit also [accuses Con Ed of negligence] because workers had inspected the pipe at the point of the explosion just hours earlier and declared it safe. “It has been reported that steam was coming out of that intersection for weeks before the eruption,” he notes—which coincides with one woman’s claim that she’d been [calling Con Ed for months](http://www.nypost.com/seven/07192007/news/regionalnews/steam_blast_a_deadly_hell_regionalnews_brigitte_williams_james__dan_kadison_and_leela_de_krester.htm?page=0) with concerns over steam escaping from that very spot.   Earlier in the week, Gov. Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg announced that they had asked the U.S. government to declare the incident a “[physical and economic injury disaster](http://www.nypress.com/blogx/display_blog.cfm?bid=26017707).” Which means businesses affected by the incident may look forward to low interest loans from the Feds to cover lost revenue. Con Ed itself has so far refused to comment on whether or not it will reimburse business owners for losses beyond physical damage to their property. But the Daily News reports that a Con Ed spokesman said the company has [paid out $282,720 in claims](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/07/27/2007-07-27_blast_put_bite_on_business_dentist_says_.html) to 691 people so far for damages to clothes and personal belongings.

Yesterday, Con Ed agreed to let two insurance companies that say they’re facing millions of dollars in claims monitor the cleanup. Travelers Indemnity Co. and Allianz Global Risks U.S. Insurance were granted access after suing Con Ed in Manhattan Supreme Court, claiming it’s not in the public interest to allow only city agencies and Con Ed—both “potentially culpable parties”—to have sole control over the removal of evidence.