This article examines how creating an Advance Care Directive, also referred to as a Living Will, can help assist your loved ones in the event you require medical treatment and are unable to tell your doctors your wishes regarding treatment.
Having a well-prepared estate plan can help provide you and your loved ones with peace of mind. This should include an advance care directive (living will). This document allows you to indicate what types of treatment you would expressly want and what types of treatment you would expressly not want. An advance care directive prepared by the Sents Law Firm would require two triggers before the document is considered by you treating physician. One – the treating physician has determined that the condition the patient has is not recoverable (the patient’s condition is terminal). Two – the patient is incapacitated and cannot express his or her own wishes regarding treatment. In this narrow context, the treating medical staff will look to the advance care directive to determine how to treat the patient consistent with the patient’s wishes as detailed in the document. This helps prevent close family from having to potentially make a very difficult decision by laying out clearly what treatment should be authorized, and what treatment will not be authorized.
With a well thought out and properly prepared advance care directive, you can provide yourself with peace of mind and hopefully limit the difficult decisions that your loved ones might potentially have to make if you are unable to express your wishes regarding treatment.
The Sents Law Firm, PLLC is an Estate Planning legal practice located in Chattanooga, TN (in Hamilton County) and we are well equipped to handle your Estate Planning needs. Give use a call today.
Disclaimer: This blog is published solely for informational purposes, and nothing posted herein should be considered legal advice. By viewing this blog and/or the posts contained herein, you agree that no attorney-client relationship is created between yourself and the Sents Law Firm. Information found within this blog should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a reputable attorney. Please consult such an attorney for any questions regarding the topics discussed in this blog and how they may impact any specific situation.