Free Legal Services for Disaster Victims Now Available
Release Date: October 5, 2007
Release Number: 1726-006
» More Information on North Dakota Severe Storms and a Tornado
BISMARCK, N.D. -- A North Dakota Disaster Legal Services Hotline has been established to help storm-impacted Grand Forks county residents get legal assistance with disaster-related legal issues, according to state and federal recovery officials.
The hotline is available 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-803-1719. Callers can leave their name, contact info and a brief description of their legal issue. The hotline will be checked daily by a legal representative and calls referred to volunteer attorneys throughout North Dakota.
The service is a cooperative effort among the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division, the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The legal assistance is available to those covered by the presidential disaster declaration granted in September for Grand Forks county residents who sustained damages from the Aug. 26 and 27 severe storms and tornadoes.
The volunteer attorneys can advise callers on such disaster-related legal issues as:
- Help with insurance claims;
- Advice on landlord/tenant matters;
- Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
- Assistance in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures;
- Replacing wills, drafting powers of attorney and other legal documents lost in the disaster and;
- Insurance claims for doctor and hospital bills, loss of property and/or loss of life.
To register for state and federal disaster assistance, contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 1-800-621-3362; (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 or go online at www.fema.gov.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 10-Oct-2007 15:58:54