Photo not that of the actual client
“Sebastian,” 67, a veteran who suffers from PTSD and other service-connected psychological and emotional issues, contacted St. Johns County Legal Aid for help when his quiet upstairs neighbors moved away and were replaced by a noisy family.
Because of his condition, Sebastian needs quiet. If there is too much noise in his life, he cannot sleep, think clearly, or function properly in his daily life activities.
After the new family moved in above him, Sebastian went through months of meetings, discussions, and requests that they be quiet or move, but nothing could fix the relentless noise. And Sebastian lacked the physical and financial ability to move out.
At St. Johns County Legal Aid, JALA’s St. Augustine office, Managing Attorney Megan Wall negotiated with the apartment management company to allow Sebastian to break the lease as a reasonable accommodation for his disability.
Once Sebastian found an apartment in a one-story building nearby, Wall solicited the help of the Veterans Council to find movers. At the request of the Veterans Council, Two Men and a Truck graciously volunteered to help Sebastian with his move.
Now in a quiet apartment, he is working with his therapist to regain his emotional, mental, and physical health, which had deteriorated from months of agitating noise.
His case is an example of how JALA works holistically with clients and harnesses the resources of the community to achieve successful outcomes. And it demonstrates how JALA honors our community’s veterans, whose service to our country often leaves them with lifelong challenges.
