Legal Services for Earthquake Victims

Those who have legal problems caused by the recent earthquake and who cannot afford their own lawyer can get free legal advice from local volunteer lawyers. Volunteers from the Washington State Bar Association are available now to give legal advice. Victims of the earthquake needing legal assistance but who are unable to afford it are advised to call the Disaster Legal Services line at 800-467-0385.

The kind of legal help available includes:

• Help with insurance claims for doctor and hospital bills, loss of property, loss of life, etc.
• Drawing up new wills and other legal papers lost in the earthquake.
• Help with home repair contracts and contractors.
• Advice on landlord/tenant problems.
• Advice on eviction or foreclosure problems.
• Preparing powers of attorney.
• Help with guardianship and other similar legal papers.

Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq. (Stafford Act), whenever the President declares a major disaster in any part of the country, federal assistance is made available to supplement the efforts and resources of state and local governments and voluntary organizations. This federal assistance is coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and includes the furnishing of free legal services to low-income victims of such major disasters pursuant to §5182 of the Stafford Act.

FEMA and the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the American Bar Association have established a Disaster Legal Services Program to activate attorneys willing to implement this statutory provision by rendering legal services on a volunteer basis should a major disaster be declared in their area. These attorneys may spend several hours at a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center to provide legal guidance to qualifying individuals victims and/or permit their names and telephone numbers to be included on a list of volunteer lawyers available to assist such victims. The legal service is furnished on a volunteer, non-fee basis.

The FEMA-YLD Disaster Legal Services Program is a worthy social cause and is seeking attorneys willing to volunteer a small portion of their time in the event a major disaster should ever be declared in the area. Attorneys who would like to be included on a list of stand-by volunteers or find out more about the FEMA-YLD Disaster Legal Services Program should call 800-467-0385.

The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington Supreme Court to license the state's 26,500 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all without public funding. As a regulatory agency, it administers the bar exam, provides record-keeping and licensing functions, and administers the lawyer discipline program. As a professional association, the WSBA provides continuing legal education for attorneys, in addition to numerous other educational and member-service activities.