Three Things You Should Know About A Living Will

Most people understand what a will is, and often they understand the importance of having one, even if they haven't gotten around to making one. But a living will is often less understood. This type of will represents your wishes in a situation where you can no longer make these decisions, usually for issues related to health. The following are a few things you should know.

They give instructions to physicians when you can no longer communicate

If you are incapacitated to the point where you are being kept alive by machines, you will not be able to express your wishes to your doctor about whether to be removed from life support. Doctors will not decide on when to do this for you. They do not have any definition of death other than a person's heart stops beating for a significant amount of time. If your heart is still beating, but your brain is no longer functional, it is possible that you will be kept on life support for a long time. Having a living will means leaving instructions on what to do if this should happen to you.

They are different than a medical power of attorney

There are many health problems that come about from aging or disease that can diminish your mental capacities. This can also occur from head trauma after an accident. In situations like this, although you are still alive, you simply cannot make important decisions. This situation is not covered in a living will. A living will covers end-of-life decisions. Diminished capacity is governed by a medical power of attorney. Although important, especially for financial reasons such as running a business, it is a separate legal document and not covered by a living will.

It is best to use an attorney to create a living will

Although it is possible to draft your own living will, it is better to have an attorney do this for you. When it is written by an attorney, it will be drafted according to the existing laws in your state, and it will be done in a manner that is clear to other attorneys. Keep in mind that doctors understand medicine. Your living will need to be reviewed by the legal staff at the hospital before any doctor will act upon it. This type of document is about an end-of-life decision that you can no longer make in the present but have done so in the past, so it is important that it is clear.

A living will may not seem important, at least right now. And it may not be something you really want to think about. However, it doesn't take long to consult with an attorney and have one drafted for you. If you're interested in learning more, visit a site such as http://wrightlawidaho.com/ for more information.