Survivors of the severe storm, flooding, and landslides that occurred Feb. 4 - 6, 2022 can now receive free legal assistance for certain disaster-related issues to help them through the recovery process. To be eligible for these services survivors must have been directly affected by the disaster and not have sufficient means to hire an attorney.
To learn about the available resources in your area, call the toll-free legal aid hotline Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. at 800-981-5342. This service is provided by the American Bar Association (ABA), Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and Servicios Legales de Puerto Rico in collaboration with FEMA.
Some examples of legal disaster-related issues include:
• Handling insurance claims (life, medical, and property)
• Dealing with home repair contracts and contractors
• Help with consumer protection matters, remedies, and procedures
• Counseling on landlord/tenant issues or mortgage foreclosure problems
• Replacement of wills, deeds, titles, and other important legal documents destroyed or lost in the disaster
• Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors
Survivors from the affected municipalities of Cataño, Dorado, Toa Baja, Vega Alta, and Vega Baja are eligible to apply for disaster assistance. To find the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) nearest you, click on the FEMA DRC link: fema.gov/drc.
You may also apply with FEMA through your smart phone, home computer, or by phone. The fastest ways to apply for assistance are:
- Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
- By phone at 800-621-3362. Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish and 3 for all other languages. Those who use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Phone lines operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week
- Download FEMA’s mobile app. Select Disaster Resources and click on Apply for Assistance Online
