Disaster Legal Services (DLS) provides free legal help to low-income disaster survivors. To those who aren’t able to get adequate legal services to help with problems after a disaster.

FEMA provides this service through an agreement with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association. Their help includes counseling and advice, referral to relevant legal services, and legal representation in cases that don’t generate a fee.

Cases that may have a fee are turned over to the local lawyer referral service.

DLS can help with things like:

• Insurance claims for medical bills, loss of property, loss of life.
• New wills, powers of attorney, and other legal papers lost during the disaster.
• Home-repair contracts and contractors.
• Problems with landlords.

To qualify for DLS, you must be a low-income survivor of a federally declared disaster.

You can be referred to DLS by calling:

• 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
• TTY 1-800-462-7585
• 711 and VRS 1-800-621-3362

When you call, you’ll get disaster-specific help and information. You’ll also learn how to get legal help.