A living will in Alexandria, Indiana, sometimes referred to as a "healthcare directive" is a legal document instructing those concerned (family, doctors, etc.) on how you want to be treated if you become unable to make your wishes known due to physical or mental incapacity.

A living will can be extremely important in avoiding painful, expensive, and time-consuming disputes between your family members.

For instance, some people would not want to be kept on life support if they are terminally ill, and have no reasonable chance at recovery. Others might want to be kept alive as long as medically allowed. If your family doesn't know what you would prefer, they might have to guess. Obviously, this can lead to severe disagreements, considering how emotional and final this decision is- there is no way to compromise between the two positions (a person can be kept on life support, or taken off of it; there isn't really any middle ground.).

Additionally, if family members have different opinions of what the patient would want, this can give rise to infighting. Disagreements on such a painful subject can tear families apart. If the patient's wishes are made clear in advance, such arguments and disputes are far less likely.

How to Create A Living Will in Alexandria, Indiana

Before starting the process, you should make your wishes extremely clear to your family. If your family is aware of your wishes well in advance, it will probably be much easier for them to accept the provisions in your living will, even if they don't agree with them.

You should then go about drafting the will. This should almost always be done with the help of an Alexandria, Indiana attorney who specializes in these matters.

In most states, the standards for holding a living will to be valid are the same as those required for an ordinary will, at least with respect to the formalities that must be followed.

These formalities vary from state to state, but wills normally have to be witnessed and signed by at least two people who do not have a direct interest in the matter. Furthermore, they should contain a clear statement indicating that the document is, in fact, a living will.

Do I Need A Alexandria, Indiana Living Will Attorney?

While it's not strictly required, it can be very helpful to have the counsel of an accomplished Alexandria, Indiana attorney. A brilliant lawyer will help you navigate the local laws on this subject, making it much easier for your wishes to be implemented.