Legal Help After a Disaster

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The aftermath of a disaster brings numerous challenges, from securing basic needs to navigating complex legal issues. If you have been impacted by California’s wildfires, resources are available to assist with securing federal aid, filing insurance claims, replacing lost legal documents, resolving landlord-tenant disputes, consumer protection matters, and more.

Below, you’ll find links to key resources that provide legal assistance and support during disaster recovery.

FEMA Disaster Assistance: Apply for FEMA support to cover housing, repairs, and other essential needs. (Details below) DisasterAssistance.gov

United Policyholders: Support for consumers navigating insurance claims and related issues. Visit UPHelp.org.

Statewide legal assistance hotline: 888-382-3406. Disaster legal services for anyone impacted by the wildfires. No hours because it takes messages. No income limits; free to everyone.

Disaster Legal Services California: Comprehensive information and legal resources for wildfire survivors, including help with insurance, housing, and consumer protection. Visit DisasterLegalServicesCA.org (note: updates for current fires are pending).

Finding an attorney

What you need to know when hiring an attorney
Free or low-cost legal services
Look up an attorney's State Bar public profile to make sure they are licensed to practice law in California and to review any potential record of discipline

Applying for federal aid

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) helps in a variety of ways, including helping to pay for home repair, funeral costs, and cleanup. Monitor FEMA announcements to determine if disaster assistance is available in your area. If FEMA assistance is available, fire victims have a limited time to file for individual assistance with FEMA. Each county impacted by the fires may have a different deadline.

Undocumented immigrants may be eligible for individual assistance from FEMA if a family member has an officially recognized immigration status in the United States.

Apply online for FEMA assistance or call FEMA at 800-621-3362.
If your request for assistance is denied, you may be eligible to file an appeal. The time to file is limited.

Replacing lost documents

Your recovery may start with establishing who you are or where you lived. The State Bar provides a list of agencies and next steps to get a duplicate California driver's license or identity card, birth certificate, marriage license, or other documents.

Get help with a lost document or find duplicate documents.

Getting help from state agencies and nonprofits

Other state agencies and nonprofit community groups can help with emergency food assistance, unemployment, shelter, crisis counseling, or other health concerns after the fires.

RESPONSE.CA.GOV provides Californians with information and resources for current incidents, transportation impacts, vital health services information, shelter and housing locations, unemployment assistance, and other state information.
Information about filing an unemployment claim with the California Employment Development Department. Call 800-300-5616 if you have questions.
Help for military veterans through the California Department of Veterans Affairs.
Apply for food assistance from the state.
Apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance through the state.
For other resources, see LawHelpCA.org's listings on disaster assistance and recovery.

Avoiding legal fraud after a disaster

Exercise caution if you are approached by people promising to offer legal services after a disaster. This is particularly important when you suffer major losses. Attorneys and their representatives must follow stringent rules about offering their services. Others, including notarios, may be engaged in the unauthorized practice of law or other forms of fraud. More information about how to avoid and report legal fraud.

Lawyers and their representatives are prohibited from:

Soliciting clients in person or by telephone calls or other real-time electronic contact;
Soliciting clients who have made known to the lawyer a desire not to be solicited or if the transmission of the solicitation involves intrusion, coercion, duress or harassment;
Mailing written communications offering legal representation unless the communication is clearly labeled as an advertisement on the outside of the envelope; and
Sending recorded or electronic communications offering legal representation unless the communication is clearly labeled as an advertisement at the beginning and end of any such communications.

Reporting legal fraud and other attorney misconduct

You can also call the State Bar's multilingual Contact Center at 800-843-9053 for help filing a complaint.