Celebrity dentist who crashed moped gets $15M from ConEd
Dr. Larry Ashkinazy was hurt in August 2002 when his moped flipped over the Consolidated Edison utility company equipment in Manhattan.
Con Ed argued the lid didn't protrude beyond its barricade and Ashkinazy should have avoided it.
Ashkinazy says his injuries caused hand tremors that curtailed his cosmetic dentistry practice. He says his clientele included celebrities.
The state Supreme Court jury found Con Ed liable and awarded Ashkinazy $14.9 million.
A Con Ed spokesman calls the award "grossly excessive" and says the utility will appeal.
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Cost, safety drive line-burying decisions at Tucson Electric Power
TUCSON - Though wildfires in California caused by power lines have prompted calls for more underground lines, Tucson Electric Power Co. plans to keep to its policy of burying lines selectively for safety.
Like many other utilities, TEP typically doesn’t install its long-range, high-voltage transmission lines and distribution equipment underground because of higher costs that would be passed on to ratepayers, TEP spokesman Joe Barrios said.
But the company will sometimes bury lower-voltage lines and equipment where it is cost-effective or needed for safety, or if customers or developers are willing to pay the higher installation costs
Underground installations generally include additional engineering…
