Legal Help After a Disaster

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.

Download a “Legal Assistance After a Disaster” pamphlet in your preferred language:

English | Español | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt | 한국어 | Русский | 中文

FEMA Disaster Assistance: Apply for FEMA support to cover housing, repairs, and other essential needs. Visit 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.

Finding an attorney

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.

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.

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.

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.