In Belmont, California a living will, also recognized as a "healthcare directive" is a document which lays out directions for your family and your doctor regarding healthcare matters should you become so ill that you are unable to make or express such decisions.
Making a living will can save your family a great deal of grief. There are some pretty terrible instances that a living will can help you avoid. It's not uncommon for a patient to become incapacitated, leaving the doctors with only a few options. Members of your family might disagree over what you would want, leading to an extremely painful disagreement, which could have been easily avoided if they'd simply known.
For instance, some people don't want to be kept on life support if they are in a vegetative state with no considerable chance of recovery. Others, however, might prefer to be kept alive as long as humanly permitted. Another person's wishes might be something in between. In any case, if the family doesn't know what their loved one's wishes are, they may have to guess, which could lead to them making a determination that the patient would never have wanted.
Even worse, individual family members might not be able to agree about what your wishes would be. Disagreements on a subject like this can cut very deep, and cause irreparable harm to family relations. If the patient's wishes are made clear beforehand, these disagreements can be prevented most of the time.
How to Create A Living Will in Belmont, California
Before you begin, you should make it extremely clear to your family members what your wishes on this subject are. If it ever becomes necessary to implement a living will, the process will likely be simpler if your family already understands what to expect.
Now comes the part where you actually draft the living will. The process is likely to go much more smoothly if you enlist the help of a talented attorney in Belmont, California who is experienced in drafting documents like this.
In most states, the standards for holding a living will to be valid are the same as those necessary for an ordinary will, at least with respect to the formalities that must be followed.
In general, wills of any type (testamentary or living) have to be signed by 2 people who witnessed it being signed by the person who the will is for. They must also contain a clear provision saying what they really are (so there can be no confusion as to whether or not a certain document was intended to be a will).
Do I Need A Belmont, California Living Will Attorney?
While it's not strictly obligated, it can be very helpful to have the counsel of an accomplished Belmont, California attorney. A seasoned lawyer will help you navigate the local laws on this subject, making it much easier for your wishes to be implemented.
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