Our East Greenwich, RI living will lawyer knows that when a person falls ill, they do not always have the opportunity to tell people what they would like for their medical treatment. This could be because a person is suffering from a brain injury after a horrible accident or a person may have a disease like dementia that causes them to be unable to effectively communicate their wishes. Whatever the case, you may decide that creating a living will (also known as a health care directive) in East Greenwich, RI is the best route to go. This means that you can create a legally binding document that will state precisely what you want to happen regarding medical care and end-of-life preferences. This enables you to have a plan beforehand regarding what kind of medical care you wish to receive and it can be communicated with your doctors and loved ones. Want to speak with one of our attorneys? Give McCarthy Law, LLC a call.
Planning Ahead
Is this kind of planning even necessary? No one wants to think about what might happen to them before they die or what could happen to them if they are incapacitated. However, creating a living will with the help of our living will lawyer East Greenwich, RI relies on can mean the difference in your voice being heard or not at a time when you can’t speak for yourself. The last thing anyone wants is to have their voice not be heard. By preparing a living will, which is also made along with a health care power of attorney, you can express your preferences for your medical care, such as the types of procedures you will undergo, maintaining your quality of life, and end of life care. These can be overwhelming subjects to discuss, but having a plan for it well before any kind of medical emergency happens to you is beneficial to you and your loved ones.
Our living will attorney knows that these are highly sensitive and tricky topics to go over. Going over the healthcare system and laws that pertain to it can be confusing. That is why many people are encouraged to talk to a lawyer whenever they feel like they are unsure of how to create a living will, or would like to know more information about its benefits and what it accomplishes. With a lawyer to offer guidance, you can have peace of mind knowing that your living will and general estate planning needs will be taken care of. It will be one less stressful task for you to do on your own.
What Does It Mean To Have Advance Directives?
When you have Advance Directives, this means that you have documents that were created while you were alive (and in your right mind) that state what you would like to happen in the event that you are no longer able to speak on your own behalf. A living will is sometimes included as part of advance directives documents. You can name someone you trust to make these decisions for you in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. As a living will lawyer knows, a living will is just one part of the Advance Directives. Other parts can include:
- Health Care Proxy
- Power of Attorney
- Power of Finance
What Specifically Can A Living Will Do?
Many people confuse a living will with a last will and testament, but they are not the same. A last will and testament includes information about your beneficiaries, who you name as a guardian, and how you would like your assets to be secured and passed down. A living will specifically concern the medical care you receive in the future if you ever become incapacitated and are unable to make decisions regarding your care yourself. One of the things that set a living will aside from other documents is that it can give someone the authority to take you off of life support if a doctor has determined that there is no expectation you would live a reasonable life after being in an accident or experiencing a trauma. This can help your family during a difficult time because it takes that burden off of them when it comes to making such an impossible decision.
What to Consider When Preparing a Living Will
A living will is an important legal document that should not be rushed. There are important things to keep in mind when you are making one. Because your living will primarily address your future medical care and who can make decisions regarding your care on your behalf, you should have a discussion about what kind of care you wish to receive with your loved ones and medical team. Letting your loved ones know ahead of time about your preferences and going over your various options for care makes the experience less stressful for everyone involved.
You Can Receive Estate Planning Assistance
The idea of making an estate plan on your own is stressful for many people. With so many documents and legal concepts to understand, it can be easy to get disoriented and be at a loss for where to start. By exploring estate planning services, you will not have to worry about whether you are making your plan the right way. Our skilled team has helped many clients better understand what they want for their estate plan and how best to achieve them. Clients who come to us can expect to receive personalized guidance that can help them gain clarity when developing their estate plan goals.
Would you like to speak with our trusted living will attorney? Contact our East Greenwich, Rhode Island office at McCarthy Law, LLC today.