Types of Cases

The Disability Law Center may be able to help you if you are a person with a disability and have a legal issue related to the disability.

The following are examples of issues/problem areas generally pursued by the Disability Law Center:

• Social Security applications (SSDI for applicants statewide, SSI only for Juneau applicants who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.)
• Disability-related employment discrimination;
• Medicaid appeals;
• Access to appropriate Special Education programs;
• Complaints about the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR), or an Independent Living Center (through our Client Assistance Program):
• Access to voting.

We typically refer Housing questions to the Fair Housing Project through Alaska Legal Services.

Within available resources and consistent with agency priorities* and case selection factors, the Disability Law Center may:

• Respond to complaints of abuse, neglect or denial of rights;
• Provide self-advocacy training and education for consumers, family members, service delivery professionals, constituency groups, and the community;
• Intervene or assist individuals to advocate for their own rights;
• Provide legal representation if the problem cannot be resolved using other strategies;
• Organize workshops and distribute materials on legal rights, special education, public benefits, and other topics;
• Provide information on the rights of people with physical and/or mental disabilities and make referrals when appropriate.

*Priorities are established each year, in part based upon public comment.

The following are examples of issues/problems NOT pursued by the Disability Law Center:

• Divorce, custody, support, OCS, and other family law matters
• Wills, trusts, and estate planning
• VA benefits
• Criminal issues/proceedings
• Legal or medical malpractice
• Alaska State retirement/disability benefits
• Workers' Compensation or collective bargaining
• Unemployment benefits
• Products liability
• Bankruptcy
• Indian/Tribal law
• Native Allotments
• Subsistence issues
• Automobile accidents/traffic violations
• Consumer protection
• General Tax matters
• Pension issues
• Property disputes or real estate
• Insurance disputes