HONOLULU – Unexpected legal issues may arise after a disaster that can leave individuals and families devastated. If you are facing legal issues resulting from the August wildfires on Maui, you can get legal advice.
Disaster Legal Services are now available to low-income, elderly and other vulnerable residents who were affected by the high winds and wildfires and are unable to afford their own lawyer.
You may call the Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi’s toll-free lines at 808-536-4302 or 800-499-4302. Lines are open from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Hotline callers can receive help with legal issues including:
- FEMA, U.S. Small Business Administration and other public assistance financial benefits including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and disaster unemployment
- insurance claims
- home repair contracts and property insurance claims
- price-gouging, scams or identity theft
- mortgage-foreclosure and home-ownership issues
- landlord/tenant problems
- replacement of wills and other vital documents destroyed in the fires
- disability-related access to federal, state and local disaster programs.
Hotline partners cannot help in all cases, including cases where a settlement could include legal fees or an award. Free legal advice may be accessed online at https://hawaii.freelegalanswers.org/.
The Disaster Legal Services program is a service provided in partnership with FEMA, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Hawaiʻi State Bar Association, and the Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi.
For the latest information on the Maui wildfire recovery efforts, visit mauicounty.gov, mauirecovers.org and fema.gov/disaster/4724. Follow FEMA on social media: @FEMARegion9 and facebook.com/fema.