Common Legal Issues After A Disaster

Learn more about housing issues after a disaster. This includes information about the legal issues a person may encounter in housing after a disaster. Access to safe, stable housing is critical to the well-being of a community after a disaster declaration. This information includes:

• Renters
• Homeowners

These are some of the issues that disaster survivors might face related to housing in the short term - 1 to 6 weeks after a disaster event: 

• Proving home ownership by title 

• Paying for a Mortgage and Loan Payment Forbearance

• Contacting utility companies to stop or hold services

• Paying rent for a damaged or destroyed home

• Landlords' obligation to repair rental property

• Mold growth and clean up

• Hiring contractors after a disaster 

• Apply for FEMA Housing Assistance

• Apply for SBA Loan Assistance

These are some of the issues that disaster survivors might face related to housing in the medium term - 1 to 6 months after the disaster event: 

• Making repairs to home property  

• Telling the landlord about damages and asking the landlord to make repairs

• Dealing with repairs and contractors

• Dealing with a landlord’s refusal to make repairs to damaged or destroyed property

• Requesting a security deposit back for a damaged or destroyed home

• Renter displacement

• Contacting utility companies 

• Mortgage loan obligations and mortgage hardship

• Determining Any Applicable Foreclosure Moratoriums

• Working with contractors and repair services

• Receiving Payment Under Homeowners and Flood Insurance with mortgages

• Avoiding Fraudulent Contractors

• Avoiding foreclosure

These are some of the issues that disaster survivors might face related to housing in the long-term - 6 months to years after a disaster event: 

• Protecting yourself from mortgage scams including repayment and modification scams

• Avoiding disaster fraud

• Looking out for municipal code issues

• Keeping records of property including lease documents and home inventory 

• Check for Homeowner's Insurance Coverage

• Get Flood Insurance

Learn more about education and family issues related to a disaster. This includes: 

• Education 
• Custody & Guardianship
• Divorce 
• Powers of Attorney 
• Domestic Violence 

These are the typical issues a disaster survivor might face related to education and family in the short term - 1 to 6 weeks after a disaster event: 

• School and other educational facility closures 
• Sending children to school with schools closed 
• Temporary custody i.e. provisional custody by mandate

These are the typical issues a disaster survivor might face related to education and family in the medium term - 1 to 6 months after a disaster event: 

• Accessing school records and transcripts 

• Displacement and Going to School 

• Replacing School Uniforms 

• Modifying parenting orders to reflect new home and school locations

• Understanding power of attorney document 

• Filing for divorce

• Accessing resources for domestic violence issues

• Getting a Protective Order

• Dealing with an eviction related to domestic violence

• Moving out of the state with a Louisiana protective order 

These are the typical issues a disaster survivor might face related to education and family in te long term - 6 months to years after the disaster event: 

• Planning for interim custody plans during a declared disaster 

Learn more about disaster programs and benefits including information about: 

• Food Benefits 
• FEMA Assistance 
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans 
• Cash Benefits

These are some of the short-term issues - 1 to 6 weeks after a disaster event related to disaster benefits and assistance: 

• Getting Disaster SNAP Benefits

• Understanding What Losses FEMA May Cover

• Applying for FEMA Assistance

These are some of the medium term issues - 1 to 6 months after a disaster event related to disaster benefits and assistance: 

• FEMA Inspections, after applying for assistance

• Appealing FEMA Denials

• SBA Home Disaster Loans

These are some of the long term issues - 6 months to years after a disaster event related to benefits and assistance: 

• Defending against FEMA "recoupment" (when they ask for assistance benefits back)

Learn more about consumer issues after a disaster. This has consumer issues including: 

• Insurance Claims 
• Fraud & Scams 
• Debt 
• Bankruptcy

These are some of the short-term issues - 1 to 6 weeks after a disaster event related to consumer issues: 

• Checking to see if a policy covers a disaster issue

• Understanding disaster issues not covered by homeowner’s insurance  

• Understanding insurance policyholder post-loss duties

• Taking reasonable steps to protect property from further damage

• Fraud & Scams

These are some of the medium-term issues - 1 to 6 months after a disaster event that disaster survivors might face related to consumer issues: 

• Assessing the value of the loss and preparing an inventory of damaged or destroyed items

• Filing An Insurance Claim

• Fraud & Scams

• Dealing with Fraudulent Charitable Solicitation 

• Preparing and notifying lenders if finances are impacted by a disaster event

These are some of the long-term issues that a disaster survivor might face in the long term - 6 months to years after a disaster event related to consumer issues: 

• Maintaining homeowner’s (and renter’s) insurance 

• Homeowner’s Insurance Claim Denials 

• Understanding flood insurance and flood risk

• Fraud & Scams

• Dealing with debt collection

• Understanding bankruptcy, including whether to file for bankruptcy and how to file

Learn more about employment or unemployment issues after a disaster. This includes: 

• Lost Wages and Wage Theft 
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance 

These are some of the short term - 1 to 6 weeks after a disaster event issues related to employment and unemployment that disaster survivors might face: 

• Applying for disaster unemployment assistance
• Documenting wage issues or claims 

These are some of the medium-term - 1 to 6 months after a disaster event issues related to employment and unemployment that disaster survivors might face: 

• Appealing disaster unemployment benefit denials 
• Notice regarding wage issues 

These are some of the long-term - 6 months to years after the disaster event issues that disaster survivors might face related to employment and unemployment: 

• Defending against unemployment benefits "recoupment" (when they ask for assistance back)
• Disputes about wages and wage theft

Learn more about financial issues after a disaster. This includes information about: 

• Replacing Lost Documents 
• Tax Relief 

These are some of the short-term 1 to 6 weeks after a disaster event issues related to finance that disaster survivors might face:  

• Replacing lost documents 

These are some of the medium-term - 1 to 6 months after a disaster event issues related to finance that disaster survivors might face:  

• Applying for Disaster Tax Relief Options
• Replacing lost documents 

These are some of the long term - 6 months to years after a disaster event issues related to finance that disaster survivors might face:  

• Applying for Disaster Tax Relief Options

Learn more about other emergency issues after a disaster including: 

• Finding Missing Persons After a Disaster
• Disaster Services and Information
• Emergency Rule Modifications
• Rebuilding and Reconstruction After a Disaster

These are some of the short-term 1-6 weeks after a disaster event emergency issues that disaster survivors might face: 

• Locating and finding missing persons 

• Finding information and resources related to disaster help

• Implementing and understanding emergency rule modifications

• Major Disaster Declarations

These are some of the medium-term - 1 to 6 months after a disaster event emergency issues that disaster survivors might face: 

• Referrals to community services

• Understanding federal procedural information about disaster authorities

These are some of the long-term - 6 months to years after event after disaster event emergency issues that disaster survivors might face: 

• Planning for rebuilding and reconstruction