Are companies like Debt Settlement Services legit companies or a rip off? I have several high interest credit cards and can no longer afford the payments due to serious illness of family members

Yes they are they do the same thing that you could do yourself if you called the credit card companies and worked out an arrangement. Please don't spend your money on that my mother my mother had done it and wasted $1000.

You may want to consider, getting just one Credit card and consolidate your debts. Many companies offer that, and you would probably pay a lower interest rate depending on your credit history. Where you would get one big credit card and for signing up with them they would pay your other debts and you would be paying one big credit card bill. Instead of three different bills.