What is a Living Will?
The future is uncertain and there are never any guarantees about how long you will stay healthy and continue to live your life. No matter how old you are or how good your health, the reality is that an accident or serious illness could change everything in an instant. Planning ahead for the possibility that you will experience a medical emergency is smart planning for the future and is something that everyone should consider.
Part of planning ahead and taking control of your own destiny is creating a living will. A living will is an advanced directive that you write in order to make your preferences clear regarding medical care. An experienced Las Vegas, NV estate planning lawyer can help you to create a living will so you can control your own destiny.
What is a Living Will?
A living will is a legal document that allows you to make your desires regarding medical care very clear to doctors and healthcare providers. If you are in an emergency situation because you are very sick or injured, you may be unable to speak for yourself and tell those providing care for you what types of treatment you want. A living will speaks for you.
When you create a living will, you want to be as comprehensive as you can. Think about all of the different circumstances that could happen in the future and consider the importance that you place on quality of life. If you know for sure you do not want to live if you suffer certain types of debilitating physical or mental problems, then you need to consider this and make your wishes clear when you write a living will.
If you are near the end of your life or if there is the potential that you would be kept alive only by machines and never recover, you may not want doctors to take extraordinary measures to prolong your suffering. You can specify under what circumstances you want to be kept alive, and you can provide details about the kinds of emergency medical care that you do and do not want to receive.
A living will gives you the ability to let doctors know what to do if you are in the late stages of dementia; if a terminal illness leaves you incapacitated; or if a motor vehicle or other type of accident results in permanent and devastating injuries. These are just a few of many examples of times when you cannot speak up for yourself and when important decisions on medical care need to be made.
If you do not have a living will, then your family members may be asked to make decisions on your behalf. If you have named a power of attorney and appointed someone to make healthcare decisions for you, this person will have to make the tough choices about your future. If you have not appointed someone to act on your behalf, there may be confusion and disagreements regarding the kind of care you can receive. A living will makes it possible to avoid all of this because you can make your own wishes clear.
An experienced Las Vegas, NV estate planning lawyer at Pintar Albiston LLP will assist you in drafting a living will that is comprehensive and enforceable. Call today to schedule a consultation and learn more.