Legal help hotline offered for tornado survivors

EMILY O’REILLY

A free legal help hotline is available for survivors of the recent tornadoes that ravaged several towns throughout Mississippi in late March.

The Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar, FEMA, American Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar, Mississippi Center for Justice, Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project and North Mississippi Rural Legal Services are collaborating to offer free legal services via the help hotline.

“MCJ has launched a dedicated hotline and response initiative to mobilize our lawyers, support staff and pro bono volunteers to host on-site legal clinics for impacted persons in Rolling Fork, Silver City, Winona, Black Hawk, Amory and other nearby communities,” Mandesha-Desha’ Thornton, communications and public relations specialist for the Mississippi Center for Justice, said.

The legal help hotline is free so that survivors of the tornadoes, who may have lost all that they owned in the storm, can afford quality legal advice.

“Survivors that are unable to afford an attorney can call the hotline and be connected to a volunteer lawyer that can provide guidance and advice on their case,” ABA Director of Disaster Legal Services Amanda Brown said.

These legal issues may take the form of home repair contracts, property insurance claims, landlord or tenant problems, heirs’ property and more. They can also get assistance applying for FEMA and SBA financial benefits.

“Disaster survivors frequently experience legal issues in the wake of natural disasters. Landlord-tenant and housing issues are common in the first days and weeks after a storm,” Brown said. “Later down the road to recovery, other issues like insurance claims, contractor fraud, and help with FEMA appeals are extremely common. Over 4,000 Mississippians have applied for FEMA assistance, with many of those being low-income.”

To help Mississippi tornado survivors rebuild, service must be long-term.

“With some low-income communities come other issues such as food deserts, healthcare disparities, limited social services, etc. So, when a catastrophic event tears away what little you have, the aftermath is devastating,” Executive Director of Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project Gayla Carpenter-Sanders said. “We also have to understand that help doesn’t just come from one day of service. We have to commit ourselves to providing service that has a lasting impact on these communities as they face an even tougher time rebuilding.”

Brown emphasized the crucial nature of legal work following a natural disaster.

“These individuals will have legal issues that stem from the tornadoes for months or even years. Having the sup- port of an attorney can make a difference in their ability to fully recover and thrive after the storms,” Brown said.

Tornado survivors in need of legal assistance can call 1-877691-6185 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Messages can also be collected after hours.