Free Legal Help Available for South Dakotans Affected by Summer Storms

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A Disaster Legal Services hotline is now available to provide legal assistance to South Dakotans impacted by this summer's severe storms and flooding. The hotline connects residents in Davison, Lincoln, Turner, and Union counties with free legal services for those who cannot afford an attorney.

Residents can reach the hotline at 605-444-3719 during business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Callers can also
leave a message outside of business hours, and a representative will return your call.

The hotline may provide help with legal issues such as:

▪ Home repair contracts and property insurance claims
▪ Redoing wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster
▪ Price gouging, scams, or identity theft
▪ Landlord and tenant problems, or threats of foreclosure
▪ Disability related access to federal state and local disaster programs
▪ FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration financial benefits

The hotline cannot help in all cases. For example, they cannot take cases where a settlement could include legal fees or an award, but they may refer those cases to other legal help. The service is a partnership between the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, FEMA, and East River Legal Services.