Free Legal Services May Help Write FEMA Appeal Letters

FRANKFORT, Ky. - The Disaster Legal Services team can help survivors of Kentucky's April and May severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides write an appeal letter if they choose to submit one with their FEMA appeal documentation. While this letter is not required, the free legal help is offered to those who are interested.

The free legal help is available for low-income disaster survivors in qualifying counties. Survivors can callthe hotline 8:30 a.m. -- noon; 1:00 -- 4:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday at859-993-0300. Kentuckians who need help after business hours can leave a message and calls may be returned on the next business day. The hotline is available to connect survivors to free legal services in qualifying counties who cannot afford an attorney.

Besides helping write appeal letters, legal assistance may be able to help survivors in the following ways:

• FEMA and SBA financial benefits;
• Home repair contracts and property insurance claims;
• Re-doing wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster;
• Price gouging, scams or identity theft;
• Landlord or tenant problems, or threats of foreclosure; and
• Disability-related access to federal, state and local disaster programs.

Homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofit organizations can apply for long-term, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance and other sources. Apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA's secure website at sba.gov/disaster.

For the latest information on Kentucky's recovery from the May 21-27 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides, please visit fema.gov/disaster/4804. Follow FEMA on X, formerly called Twitter, at x.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.