The South Carolina Bar is offering free legal assistance to flooding victims in Clarendon, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter, Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. The service, which allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer to aid in flood related matters, is a partnership between the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division and South Carolina Legal Services.
The type of legal assistance available includes:
• Assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster victims;
• Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
• Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
• Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster;
• Assistance in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures;
• Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems; and
• Counseling on landlord-tenant problems.
People can call 1 (877) 797-2227, ext. 120, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. When connected to the hotline, callers should identify that they are seeking disaster-related legal assistance, brief details of the assistance needed and in which county they are located. Individuals who qualify for assistance will be matched with South Carolina lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal assistance. Flood victims may also request assistance online by e-mailing DisasterInfo@SCBar.org.
