A living will in Milwaukie, Oregon can further be referred to as a "healthcare directive." Whatever the name, it is a document that lays out a person's wishes with respect to their medical care, in case they become unable to make their own choices.

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

For instance, many people state that they would not want to be kept alive by artificial means if they are in a vegetative state, and have no decent chance of recovering. Others, however, would like to be kept alive if they have any chance, no matter how small, of recovery. If your wishes on this matter aren't known, your doctor or family members might have no idea what you would have wanted, and may make a choice that goes against your wishes.

Furthermore, individual family members may not agree on what the patient would have wanted. Disagreements on this subject can be profound, and can cause irreversible damage to family relationships. But if the patient's wishes are made clear in advance, these fights can normally be avoided.

How to Create A Living Will in Milwaukie, Oregon

Before taking any steps to create a living will, you should make your wishes known to your family. While it's ultimately your decision (and your family will probably recognize that), they will likely appreciate having their opinions heard. Furthermore, implementing a living will can be much easier if the family already knows what it says, with the document simply making it legally-binding.

You should then go about drafting the will. This should almost always be done with the advice of a Milwaukie, Oregon attorney who specializes in these matters.

In most states, a living will must follow all the protocols as testamentary wills (wills that dictate what is to be done with a person's property after their death).

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 Milwaukie, Oregon Living Will Attorney?

The assistance of a seasoned Milwaukie, Oregon attorney is never a bad idea, even if it's not absolutely necessary. There are normally nuances in state and local law on this subject which laypersons will not be aware of, but with which an attorney will be intimately familiar.