The “large” piece of wood in question
photo submitted as evidence which shows the piece of wood in question outside the crosswalk
Jeanine Pirro, the prominent former Fox News host, former judge, and current U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, has filed a $250,000 negligence lawsuit against the City of Rye, New York—her hometown—and utility giant Consolidated Edison (Con Edison) following a slip-and-fall incident in August 2025.
The accident occurred on August 28, shortly after Pirro’s confirmation as the Trump administration’s top federal prosecutor for D.C. While walking in downtown Rye near the intersection of Purchase Street and Library Lane (or along Boston Post Road near Rye City Hall, per some accounts), the 74-year-old alleges she tripped over a large wooden block protruding from beneath a steel plate in the roadway. This plate reportedly covered an excavation tied to Con Edison’s gas-main work in the area.
According to the amended complaint filed in Westchester County Supreme Court, the defendants’ negligence—failing to properly secure the site, warn pedestrians, or remedy the hazard—directly caused her fall. Pirro claims she sustained serious injuries, including bruises and contusions to her head (described in some reports as brain bruising or a contusion leading to swelling/bleeding), eye, face, and shoulder. She was reportedly confined to bed for a period, required medical treatment, and continues to suffer pain, discomfort, and limited mobility.
The lawsuit accuses both the City of Rye and Con Edison of recklessness in maintaining safe conditions, particularly given the construction site’s proximity to pedestrian areas. Pirro seeks at least $250,000 in damages, plus court costs, arguing the obstruction created an avoidable danger.
Defendants have pushed back in court filings. An attorney for Rye argued the city bears no negligence since the spot “was not a pedestrian walkway.” Con Edison’s counsel contended the risks were “open, obvious and apparent,” implying Pirro should have noticed them. Representatives for Pirro, the city, and Con Edison have declined to comment on the ongoing case.
The suit highlights a common issue in slip-and-fall claims involving municipal oversight of utility projects, where liability often hinges on notice of hazards and reasonable safeguards. As a high-profile resident suing her own community, the case has drawn local and national attention, blending personal injury law with Pirro’s public persona.
