Legal Aid NSW lawyers are set to give free legal advice to hundreds of people affected by the recent bushfires.
Attorney General, Mark Speakman announced the initiative and praised Legal Aid NSW’s (LANSW) history of providing legal assistance to people affected by bushfires.
“The LANSW Disaster Response Service team stands ready to provide legal assistance that covers a range of issues, including insurance claims, tenancy, credit and debt, financial hardship, social security entitlements and employment,” Mr Speakman said.
Mr Speakman said lawyers would offer assistance at LANSW offices in Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and outreaches at Forster, Kempsey, Taree, Bowraville, Grafton, Macksville, and Nambucca.
He said fires in northern NSW this year had destroyed or damaged more than 670 homes and left many hundreds of people facing the challenge of rebuilding their lives.
Chief Executive at LANSW, Brendan Thomas said that civil lawyers from the Disaster Response Service were specialists in handling insurance, debt, tenancy, social security and financial hardship law issues.
“All of our solicitors providing help at these locations have undergone training about what to expect,” Mr Thomas said.
“Having an experienced advisor to help you navigate through legal issues can significantly reduce trauma and pave the way to rebuilding lives,” he said.
Mr Thomas said free legal advice was available to anyone affected by a natural disaster and that victims of natural disasters were considered priority clients.
Legal Aid’s guidelines for what to do after a bushfire can be accessed at this PS News link.
