Con Ed And Jodie Lane's Family Settle Electrocution Death

Con Ed and the family of Jodie Lane, the Columbia graduate student whose electrocution death in the East Village stunned the city this past January, have reached a settlement: $6.2 million for Lane's wrongful death and $1 million for a scholarship to be formed in her name. Lane, a 30 year-old psychology student, had been walking her dogs on East 11th Street when she stepped onto an electrified area where exposed electrical wires had reacted with the snow and other chemicals used to melt the snow and ice. After Lane's death, it was revealed there are hundreds of other similarly electrified "hot zones" in the city, bringing criticism to Con Ed. As another part of the settlement with the Lane family, Con Ed will also form a "panel of three electical safety experts," two of which the Lane family will select, according to the NY Times. The Times also notes that the Lane family will be creating the Jodie Lane Public Safety Foundation to improve NYC public safety. Gothamist is glad that Con Ed is essentially admitting their mistakes led to Lane's death - for a while, they were claiming it was a freak accident. We're also very impressed with the efforts of the Lane family, especially Roger Lane, Jodie's father, to push Con Ed to improve its procedures, and we thank the family for caring enough to make sure other New Yorkers are safe.

The City on winter weather safety tips. More information about Jodie Lane's death and efforts to improve public safety at the Jodie Lane Project.