Witnessing repeated train deaths left Florida conductor with PTSD, $60M lawsuit alleges

Darren Brown Jr claims he was forced to return to work with ‘biological matter’ from fatal train crashes still on his clothing

A former conductor for Brightline Trains Florida LLC is suing the company for $60 million, saying the numerous times he has witnessed people die from train impacts have left him with mental health issues.

Darren Brown Jr filed his lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday against Brightline and parent company Fortress Investment Group LLC. He accuses his former employer of fostering a company that "normalized frequent fatalities, minimized emotional responses to trauma, and stigmatized requests for mental-health support."

The lawsuit further alleges that Fortress and Brightline created an unsafe work environment, were negligent about safety violations, and put him in situations where he was exposed to "foreseeable and preventable" traumatic events that left him with mental scars.

“By persistently underfunding safety measures, delaying necessary upgrades, and prioritizing Fortress’s financial goals over risk reduction, Defendants created an unreasonably hazardous work environment for Brightline Crews,” the lawsuit claims.

Ashley Blasewitz, Brightline's media director, said the company does not comment on ongoing litigation.

A damaged Brightline train is seen after it collided with a fire truck in downtown Delray Beach, Florida, Saturday, December. 28, 2024. A former Brightline conductor is suing for the company for $60 million, claiming the deaths he witnessed while working for the company has left him with psychological injuries (Sun Sentinel 2024)

Brown began working for Brightline in 2017 and eventually quit in 2023. He was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after witnessing deaths on the tracks and other traumatic situations over the course of his work with the company.

He says that his mental health has deteriorated to the point where he has been “effectively forced out of the railroad industry,” which has caused him substantive economic and non-economic damages.

Earlier this year, Brown told reporters in Florida that he had been in 16 fatal train incidents during his time with Brightline. The Miami Herald and WLRN were able to confirm eight of the 16 he mentioned.

Brown describes one of the alleged incidents in the lawsuit. A fatal crash in February 2022 saw Brown's train rip a car in half after it drove onto the tracks. Brown was forced to exit the train and rush to the car, where he found the 55-year-old driver "crashed and pinned inside, screaming in agony."

He said he watched as the man was dragged, still alive, out of the crushed remains of the car and transported to a nearby hospital.

Brown argued that the incident and others like it “reinforced Plaintiff’s awareness that high-speed operations through unfenced, high-risk corridors created constant exposure to violence and death.”

In addition to the claims regarding his mental health, Brown also alleged that Brightline forced him to do work he was never trained for, including "visually confirming" whether or not victims of train accidents were dead. He notes in the lawsuit that he has "no medical or forensic training."

He also said he'd be forced to re-board his trains and continue his shift while wearing clothing that had been exposed to "biological matter, vehicle fluids, and hazardous debris."

Brown also accused Brightline of forcing him and others to keep working at witnessing gruesome deaths during their shifts. He accused the company of urging workers to "take it to the next station" and to "keep things moving" or to keep working "as a favor" to the company.

When conductors involved in grisly accidents did request leave, Brown claims they were not treated as though they'd just been through something traumatic.

“A conductor who struck and dismembered a pedestrian received essentially the same leave as someone who hit a shopping cart," the lawsuit claims. "Employees who had been exposed to multiple fatalities, like Plaintiff, received no enhanced support.”