A living will in Jacksonville, North Carolina is sometimes called a "healthcare directive" or something similar. But whatever you call it, it's a legally-binding document which provides instructions for your family members as well as you doctors on how you want end-of-life medical care to be handled. It lets them know in advance what you want.
Making a living will can save your family a great deal of grief. There are some pretty terrible situations 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 dispute, which could have been easily avoided if they'd simply known.
For example, some people wish to be taken off of life support if they are in a permanent vegetative state, and their doctors believe that they have little to no chance of a meaningful recovery. However, if this wish is not expressed in advance, it may be impossible to implement in the unfortunate event that it becomes relevant.
Furthermore, if family members have differing 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 Jacksonville, North Carolina
Of course, your loved ones should be involved in the process. They can't make these decisions for you, but they'll probably be more willing to accept your decisions if they feel that their voices were heard. In any event, if your family knows what to expect when your living will is implemented, the process will probably be easier.
You should then actually draft the will. To be sure that it is valid, you should have the help of a Jacksonville, North Carolina attorney who specializes in wills.
Living wills often have to follow the same formalities as regular wills (the ones that distribute a person's property after their death).
While these requirements are not identical between individual states, there are some common similarities. For example, both testamentary and living wills usually need to be witnessed and signed by 2 people who have no direct interest in your will.
Do I Need A Jacksonville, North Carolina Living Will Attorney?
While not always necessary, a good healthcare or wills attorney in Jacksonville, North Carolina can make this process much easier. Lawyers, obviously, understand the law. Because of this, it is much easier for them to avoid the legal pitfalls that can make a living will unenforceable.
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