PEARL, Miss. – Disaster Legal Services (DLS) offers free legal assistance to low-income Mississippi tornado survivors. If you're not able to afford an attorney for your disaster-related needs, DLS may be able to help.
A toll-free legal aid hotline accepts calls 24-hours a day. The number is (877) 691-6185.You’ may be prompted to leave a message and a specialist will get back with you as soon as possible.
The service, which allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer, is a partnership between The Mississippi Bar, The Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Callers should identify what storm-related issue they need legal assistance with and the county where their storm-damaged property is located. Homeowners and renters whose primary residence is in Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, Montgomery, Panola or Sharkey counties are eligible for this free service.
DSL can help with:
- Insurance claims for medical bills, loss of property, and loss of life.
- New wills, powers of attorney, and other legal papers lost during the disaster.
- Home repair contracts and contractors.
- Problems with landlords.
- Proof of home ownership.
- FEMA appeals.
DLS attorneys are not FEMA employees. The services they provide are confidential and they do not share information with FEMA.
For the latest information on recovery from Mississippi tornadoes, visit March 24 2023 Severe Weather Disaster Information - MEMA (msema.org) and 4697 | FEMA.gov.fema.gov/. Follow FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.