You cannot predict everything that could happen in the future. At a moment’s notice, you may become incapacitated in an accident and unable to make decisions for yourself.
A living will, also known as an advance directive, can make your wishes known before anything happens. A dedicated wills attorney can help you develop living wills in Upper Marlboro to secure your wishes before an emergency occurs.
What is a Living Will?
Living wills turn a person’s desires into legally binding instructions through writing. They can also appoint an agent to make decisions on a person’s behalf, often a close relative or trusted friend.
Verbal statements can serve as a living will under the right circumstances and per state law requirements. When a person makes their wishes known, such as whether and how to administer life-sustaining care when they are incapacitated, having a living will ensures respect for those wishes.
Putting one’s desires into a living will in Upper Marlboro requires some reflection and forethought. A lawyer in the Largo area can help a client put their wishes into writing in a living will.
Securing Your Wishes through a Living Will
Creating a living will requires following state law for advance directives.
For example, a written living will must be signed and dated by the person creating it and two witnesses. The contents of the living will establish instructions for providing or withholding care and can name a particular agent, though that named agent cannot also be a witness for the living will.
In some cases, a patient in a medical setting can make a living will, orally or in writing, with medical staff as witnesses. A patient’s attending physician can witness a directive if the patient is competent when making their wishes known. As a default rule, a living will becomes effective if two physicians certify in writing that the patient can no longer make an informed decision, though the text of a document can create different conditions for when it takes legal priority.
An attorney can provide crucial assistance in drafting a living will in Upper Marlboro and ensure a person’s wishes are accurately detailed and clearly stated in a directive. A lawyer can also serve as an appointed healthcare agent if a person wants to place responsibility for carrying out a living will with someone other than a family member.
Learn More About Living Wills in Upper Marlboro
A sudden accident can rob you of the ability to make your own healthcare decisions, and your loved ones may not know what you would want in such a scenario. Having a living will can remove any uncertainty as to what you want.
Living wills in Upper Marlboro will need to meet the state’s legal requirements to be effective, and an attorney can help you craft a living will to meet your needs. Our firm can work with you to develop your wishes into a proper document, so contact our offices for a consultation.
