Basic Overview Of Living Wills - Part 1

 

Advance health care directives are legal documents that dictate how you want to receive medical care in the event you become incapacitated. A living will is a type of advance directive that dictates your end-of-life care.

 

This 3 part series of articles will provide a basic overview of a Living Wills and a Heath Care Power of Attorneys including:

 

• Clarifying Mixed Terminology
• The Benefits of Creating a Living Will
• What Types of Procedures Are Covered
• Should you have a health care power of attorney

 

Part 1 addresses Clarifying Mixed Terminology and The Benefits of Creating a Living Will. Part 2 will address What Types of Procedures Are Covered. Part 3 will address Should you have a health care power of attorney.

 

Clarifying Mixed Terminology

 

The term "living will" is a bit of a misnomer. Of course, a will is a legal document that sets out a person's instructions on how to distribute their property when they die. By contrast, a living will is an advance directive that describes how someone is to be cared for if they are unable to communicate while alive.

 

Adding to the confusion, "living wills" are known by several other names that vary from state to state. Examples include: "health care declarations," "medical directives," or "directives to physicians."

 

The Benefits of Creating a Living Will

 

Each person has a right to bodily integrity and personal autonomy. This is reflected in the constitutional right to refuse medical treatment. A living will implements this right by setting out your health care wishes ahead of time.

 

A well-drafted living will is a legally binding document and provides assurance that your wishes will be honored. Without this document in place, others may make decisions for you that you would not have made yourself.

 

There are other benefits as well. Guidelines in your living will provide clarity to health care providers when making life-sustaining decisions. Living wills can reduce conflict among family members when confronting the possibility of your death or permanent incapacitation. In general, making your wishes clear can alleviate the emotional burden on your loved ones as they try to do the right thing on your behalf.

 

Call your Amarillo Estate Planning Attorney Today and Get Help With Your Living Will and Health Care Power Of Attorney

 

The thought of losing control of our bodies or the ability to make our own decisions can be unsettling, but incapacitation need not leave you completely powerless over your own health care. By planning in advance, living wills ensure that treatment decisions in a worst-case scenario are in fact your own decisions. Living wills and other advance care directives are often included as part of your estate plan. If you are planning your estate or updating your will, the best thing to do is consult with a local Amarillo Texas estate planning attorney to make sure you are following the laws and regulations of your respective state. Many people have similar questions and go through the same line of questioning when deciding how to make or update their estate plan. It can be and often is critical that you get legal help understanding the basics of this process. The best way to get this understanding is to contact an experienced Amarillo Estate Planning attorney near you. Stop and take a breath and call an Amarillo Estate Planning Attorney who has had decades of experience.  Pick up the phone and call Amarillo Estate Planning Attorney Bill Cornett.  Bill is your choice as an experienced estate attorney in Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle.  Don’t waste another minute.  Call him today.

 

Your most important action may end up being the phone call that you make to your Amarillo estate planning attorney lawyer.  In the Texas Panhandle that call should be to Amarillo attorney Bill Cornett.  Whether you need assistance with a will, administration of an estate or a contested probate, contact the Law Office of Bill Cornett. Be smart…remember these phone numbers (806) 374-9498 or (800) 658-6618.

 

Put Cornett Law Firm’s 50+ years of experience to work for you

 

Bill Cornett, Amarillo Attorney, with Cornett Law Firm, offers affordable, qualified services as an experienced personal injury lawyer and probate attorney. Bill also has experience in estate planning and agriculture law. Sit down with Bill at his office located at 612 S. Van Buren St. in Amarillo TX by calling (806) 374-9498 or (800) 658-6618 TODAY to schedule a free consultation.