Legal assistance for bushfire victims

Date : 12 Feb 2009

Many people have lost family, friends, property, pets and livestock in the bushfires.

In this difficult time it is important to understand your legal rights. We are here to help you with your legal issues.

You can call the Victorian bushfire legal help line on 1800 113 432 to get free legal information about:

• dealing with insurance companies about house, life and car insurance
  what to do if you are uninsured, underinsured or denied a claim
• housing and tenancy
• your property – repairs, rebuilding and selling, removing debris and demolition, looting and trespass 
• dealing with electricity, phone and water companies
• Wills
• money problems, paying your excess, mortgages and other debts
• getting your superannuation
• Centrelink benefits
• sticking to court orders
• child support payments
• your identification and documents
• contracts and small business issues 
• contacting the Coroner’s office
• going back to work and leave entitlements
• victims of crime
• personal injury
• other issues.

The Victorian bushfire legal help line is open from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm, Monday to Friday.

We have lawyers at all bushfire relief centres. They can talk to you about how the law applies to your legal problem and what you can do about it. This service is free.

The help line and the visits to the relief centres are provided by Victoria Legal Aid, the Federation of Community Legal Centres, the Law Institute of Victoria, the Victoria Law Foundation, and the Public Interest Law Clearing House.

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