A woman who successfully sued PSEG Long Island says the utility company is bringing her back to court.
Marian Goldstein has been fighting with PSEG Long Island for a month over electrical damages done to her home in Baldwin. The 83-year-old won her case in small claims court, but found out this weekend that PSEG is appealing the judge's $5,000 decision.
Goldstein and many of her neighbors, like John and Diane Stanley, lost power after a storm. When PSEG turned the power back on, they say it shot commercial-grade electricity into their homes, torching thousands of dollars of appliances in every home on the block.
"It scorched the wall a little bit, and the rug. Then I walked past the next room, and I realized the hall was on fire from the power surge," says Diane Stanley.
The Stanleys say a surge protector caught on fire in their guest room. They say it was plugged into an outlet and almost caused the bed to go up in flames.
The Stanleys say their home could have been completely engulfed had they not been home to put the fire out.
PSEG is denying responsibility for the damage. In a statement, the company says in part, "PSEG Long Island reimburses customers for damages caused by negligence. Like other utilities, we are not responsible for damages cause by things out of our control."
The Stanleys say they were one of the few on the block not planning to sue PSEG over their damages, but after seeing the company's fight with Goldstein, they may file a claim as well.