Free Legal Help Available for South Carolina Storm Survivors

COLUMBIA, S.C.–Free legal aid is available for survivors of South Carolina’s April 13 storms.

Assistance includes help with securing FEMA and other government benefits, insurance claims, home repair contracts, replacing wills and other important legal documents, consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures, mortgage-foreclosure problems and landlord-tenant problems.

The free legal service is a partnership between the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division and South Carolina Legal Services.

April 13 storm survivors who face disaster-related legal issues and are unable to afford a lawyer may call 877-797-2227 ext. 120 or 803-576-3815 to request assistance.

They may also request assistance online by emailing disasterinfo@scbar.org or submitting disaster- related questions online at sc.freelegalanswers.org.

Survivors with a hearing or speech disability can call 711 to be connected to a Telecommunications Relay Service operator. South Carolina Legal Services can arrange American Sign Language interpreters to be present for an applicant’s intake appointment. Reasonable accommodations are provided at no cost.

Survivors who have questions about the status of their federal disaster assistance applications or how to appeal determination letters may call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. They can also check the status of their disaster assistance applications online at disasterassistance.gov.