LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A legal hotline is now available for people impacted by the Mendocino Complex fire.

Disaster survivors facing legal issues related to the fires and who are unable to afford a lawyer may call the hotline at 1-877-529-7700. The hotline hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The type of legal assistance available includes:

– Replacement of identification documents other important destroyed legal documents;
– Assistance with life, medical, and property insurance claims;
– Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
– Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies, and procedures;
– Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems;
– Counseling on landlord-tenant problems; and
– Assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster survivors.

The hotline is a partnership between Legal Services of Northern California, the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Legal assistance may not available for fee generating cases. Such matters can be referred for skilled lawyer representation through a State Bar of California certified lawyer referral service in your area.

In addition, there is information available at:

– www.LawHelpCA.org: This statewide Web site, hosted by the Legal Aid Association of California, provides information about common legal issues in addition to disaster relief information. It also has an updated directory of pre-screened organizations that offer free or low-cost legal advice and representation.

– www.disasterlegalaid.org: A collaborative effort of Lone Star Legal Aid, the ABA, the Legal Services Corporation, the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, the Texas Legal Services Center, and Pro Bono Net, Disaster Legal Aid provides disaster legal information to the low and moderate income public.

– www.uphelp.org: United Policyholders, or UP, is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) consumer advocacy group that specializes in helping disaster survivors with insurance claim issues. UP also trains case managers and legal aid lawyers to assist clients with insurance and disaster recovery matters.

– State Bar of California Web site, http://www.calbar.ca.gov/: Resources for legal help after a disaster including how to replace documents after a disaster.