Legal Services Available For Alabamians Affected By Recent Disaster

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabamians who have legal issues that are a direct result of the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding may receive free help from the Volunteer Lawyers Program of the Alabama State Bar Association.

Residents must reside in the designated counties of Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

• Assistance with insurance claims (life, medical and property).
• Counseling on landlord/tenant problems.
• Assistance with home repair contracts.
• Assistance with consumer protection-foreclosure problems.
• Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster.
• Drafting of powers of attorney.
• Preparation of guardianships and conservatorships.
• Referring individuals to local and state agencies that may be of further assistance.

Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services. For example, assistance is not available for cases that will produce a fee (i.e., those cases where attorneys are paid part of the settlement by the court). Such cases are referred to a local lawyer referral service.

The Disaster Legal Services hotline phone number is 888-857-8571. The service is available from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In the Huntsville area of Limestone County, call 256-539-2275. Those in Mobile and Baldwin counties can call 855-997-2857.

The helpline is part of a long-standing agreement between FEMA and the ABA.