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Program Description

Disaster Legal Services (DLS) provides free legal help to disaster survivors. If you're not able to get the legal services you need for your disaster-related needs, DLS may be able to help.

FEMA provides this service through the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA). DLS may only give advice and help with cases that won't have a fee. For fee cases, they may refer you to a local lawyer referral service.

DLS may help with matters that include –

  • Insurance claims for medical bills, loss of property, loss of life, etc.
  • New wills and other legal papers lost in the disaster.
  • Home repair contracts and contractor fraud.
  • Problems with landlords.
  • Proof of home ownership.
  • FEMA appeals.

DLS attorneys are not FEMA employees. Their services are confidential and they do not share information with FEMA.

General Program Requirements

To qualify, you must be a survivor of a presidentially declared disaster.

Read FEMA’s Disaster Legal Services page for more details.

Application Process

For more information, call:

  • 1-800-621-3362
  • If you use a video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone (CTS), or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
Last Updated: 01/05/2024