A living will in Cedar Hills, Utah can also 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 arrangements.

A living will can be indispensable to avoiding disputes between family members who otherwise might not be aware of your preferences on this subject. Most people, of course, want to honor the wishes of a loved one. However, if they don't know what that person would have wanted, disagreements can occur.

For example, 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 reasonable 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 decision that goes against your wishes.

If a person's preferences aren't known by his or her family, they might have to make an educated guess. Of course, with limited information, it's entirely possible for 2 family members to come to two entirely different conclusions, with no way of knowing which one is correct. Making your wishes known in advance can help you avoid all this.

How to Create A Living Will in Cedar Hills, Utah

Before starting the process, you should make your wishes quite 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 assistance of a Cedar Hills, Utah attorney who specializes in these matters.

In most states, the criteria 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.

While these requirements are not identical between individual states, there are some common similarities. For example, both testamentary and living wills typically need to be witnessed and signed by 2 people who have no direct interest in your will.

Do I Need A Cedar Hills, Utah Living Will Attorney?

While not always necessary, a knowledgeable healthcare or wills attorney in Cedar Hills, Utah 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.