SAVANNAH, Ga. – Free legal assistance is now available to low-income Georgia disaster survivors who need help with home repair contracts and contractors, counseling on landlord-tenant issues or assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims.

Disaster often brings chaos, which can result in disagreements. Legal help is available to survivors in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Wayne who can’t afford to hire a lawyer to deal with disaster-related issues. Damage must have occurred from Oct. 4-15.

Legal assistance can include:

  • help securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster survivors

  • replacement of wills and other important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster

  • assistance with consumer protection issues such as price gouging and avoiding contractor scams in the rebuilding process

  • counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems

The toll-free legal hotline to connect disaster survivors affected by Hurricane Matthew with legal aid providers is 866-584-8027. Local residents may call 404-527-8793. The lines are open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Individuals who qualify for assistance will be matched with Georgia lawyers who have volunteered to provide free, limited legal help. Assistance is not available for cases that will produce a fee; for example, those cases in which attorneys are paid part of the settlement by a court. Such cases are referred to a local lawyer referral service.

Consultations with attorneys are confidential.

Legal services are provided by FEMA partners, including the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Georgia Legal Services Program and Atlanta Legal Aid Society.

For updates on Georgia’s Hurricane Matthew response and recovery, follow @GeorgiaEMA and @FEMARegion4 on Twitter and visit gemhsa.ga.gov and fema.gov/disaster/4284

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Free Legal Services Available to Eligible Georgia Survivors Affected by Matthew

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas residents who need legal advice as a result of the severe storms in late December – January can get free help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and its local partners.

Free legal assistance on topics related to the storm recovery is provided by the Arkansas Bar and the Young Lawyers’ Section, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the Arkansas Emergency Management Agency, the Center for Arkansas Legal Services, and Legal Aid of Arkansas.

The service is available to individuals affected by the storms in Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties.

The toll-free number for the Young Lawyers’ Disaster Legal Services in Arkansas is 800-609-5668. Legal aid providers and pro bono attorneys are available to assist with almost any legal issue that arises from a presidentially-declared disaster including:

  • Help with disaster-related health, property, life insurance claims, etc.;
  • Replacement of wills and other important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster;
  • Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
  • Counseling on mortgage and foreclosure problems;
  • Consumer protections for issues like price gouging and avoiding contractor scams in the rebuilding process;
  • Assistance securing FEMA benefit claims;
  • Employment law; and
  • Civil Rights.

Additional information is available by calling Disaster Legal Services Helpline at 800-609-5668.

FEMA’s Disaster Legal Services (DLS) program provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals who, prior to or because of the disaster, are unable to secure legal services adequate to meet their disaster-related needs. DLS is provided only to survivors of presidentially declared major disasters and is limited to cases that will not produce a fee. All information is confidential.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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Free Legal Aid Offered to Arkansas Storm Survivors