Offshore worker Jermaine Hines shares how a serious neck injury changed his life while working on an oil rig. After hearing a pop and losing feeling on the left side of his body, he was medevacked from the platform and faced pressure to push through treatment he physically could not do. Jermaine explains why he turned to Arnold & Itkin and how having the right support helped him focus on his health and recovery.
In August 2016, Jermaine Hines was working offshore on an oil rig when everything changed. While using heavy equipment, he heard a pop in his neck and suddenly lost all feeling on the left side of his body.
He collapsed and had to be medevacked off the platform to the emergency room.
After the accident, Jermaine says the company doctor pushed him to perform physical therapy exercises he was physically incapable of doing. The message from the company was clear.
“They basically wanted me to do things their way or the highway.”
Jermaine says he was placed in an impossible position, with little concern shown for what he was dealing with physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially.
That changed when Jermaine came to Arnold & Itkin.
For the first time, he felt that his health and well-being were being taken seriously.
“Arnold & Itkin made sure I had a doctor who was concerned about my well-being, who checked me thoroughly and always followed up.”
If any issues came up, Jermaine says they were addressed without hesitation. His medical care finally became the priority.
Beyond medical support, Jermaine says the firm helped guide him through a process he never expected to face.
“They treated me like family. Not only did they meet every need I had, but they guided me all the way through it.”
Looking back, Jermaine believes having the right team made all the difference.
“If I didn’t have them on my team, I don’t know exactly where I would have been today.”
Jermaine’s story reflects the challenges injured offshore workers face and the importance of having advocates who prioritize health, dignity, and long-term well-being.
In 2016, on August 26th, I was working offshore on an oil rig. I heard a pop in my neck, and I dropped from using some heavy equipment, and lost complete feeling on the left side of my body. I had to be medevacked off of the platform to the emergency room. The company doctor was trying to pretty much force me to do physical therapy—things I that I was incapable of doing. The company I worked for basically wanted me to do things their way or the highway. It’s basically how they put it. All the way around, they put me in a bind. They weren’t concerned about anything that I was facing going on with me physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially.
I was sent, glory to God, by an angel to come to Arnold & Itkin to help me through the process of what I was facing. Arnold & Itkin made sure that I had a doctor who was concerned about my well-being check me thoroughly, who always had follow-ups. If I had any issues, they were on it. There was no hesitation with concern about my well-being or my health when it came to the medical aspect [of my recovery].
If you’re looking for an attorney, I would tell anybody to pray first. Then I would tell him to look up Arnold & Itkin because I don’t see any other law firms that I would deal with as far as injuries go. They took care of me. They treated me like family, and that meant a lot to me because, not only did they meet every need that I had, but they guided me all the way through it. If I didn’t have them on my team, I don’t know exactly where I would have been right now today.
It was a blessing, a blessing. Arnold & Itkin, hands-down. I wouldn’t pick no other law firm.
