WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A former Brightline conductor has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $60 million in damages, alleging that years of working on South Florida’s high-speed rail corridor caused him to develop post-traumatic stress disorder after repeated exposure to fatal train incidents, according to court documents obtained by Local 10 News.
Documents show Darren J. Brown Jr., who worked as a Brightline conductor from approximately 2018 to 2023, claims he was involved in more than ten traumatic incidents during his tenure, including at least seven confirmed fatalities.
In his complaint, which was filed under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) on Tuesday, Brown names Brightline Trains Florida LLC and its parent company, Fortress Investment Group LLC, as defendants.
He alleges the companies failed to implement adequate safety measures and failed to provide proper mental health support for employees repeatedly exposed to “catastrophic” events.
The lawsuit states that Brown was often ordered to exit his train cab and walk through crash scenes involving destroyed vehicles, fires, and human remains. He claims he was required to visually confirm whether victims were deceased, despite having no medical or forensic training and without being provided appropriate protective equipment or decontamination procedures.
One incident described in the filing involves a so-called “second-train” event, in which a Brightline train was cleared to proceed through an active fatality scene and ran over a victim’s remains while first responders were still present.
Brown also alleges that Brightline imposed extreme on-call and reporting demands on conductors, contributing to fatigue and emotional strain.
Documents state that supervisors allegedly told crews that some employees slept in their cars near terminals to comply with one-hour call-time requirements while operating trains traveling up to 125 miles per hour.
Court documents show that in October 2023, Brown was formally diagnosed with chronic PTSD by a clinician contracted by Brightline. Standardized testing reportedly showed clinically significant PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
The document states that Brown requested medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act but was not granted appropriate accommodations, leading him to resign to protect his health.
Brown is seeking compensatory damages and injunctive relief aimed at changing Brightline’s safety practices and trauma-response policies.
Read the lawsuit here:
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