ADVANCE MEDICAL DIRECTIVES

An advance medical directive is a separate legal document whereby you appoint an agent and give that person the power to consent to medical and health care decisions on your behalf with regard to providing, withholding, or withdrawing a specific medical treatment or course of treatment when you are incapable of making or communicating an informed decision on your own behalf.

This document communicates your desires to your physicians and family members regarding all forms of medical treatment, and may be used to instruct your physician to withhold specific life-prolonging procedures if at any time you are diagnosed as having a terminal condition and your physicians have determined that there can be no recovery from such condition and your death is imminent.

Your Advance Medical Directive should also set forth your preferences with regard to organ donation, funeral arrangements, and disposition of remains. In order to be easily accessible when needed, your Advance Medical Directive should be registered with an electronic archive service that can immediately fax the document to any desired destination. This firm will provide such registration service to you at no charge unless you would prefer that the document not be registered.

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

You should also consider a Durable General Power of Attorney which will give the person you designate the power to make personal and decisions involving your assets and the power to sign legal documents on your behalf. A Durable General Power of Attorney is a very valuable tool, primarily to be used in the event that, due to age, illness, or injury, you are unable to carry on your personal and financial affairs.

Without a General Power of Attorney, if you are unable to carry on your personal and financial affairs, someone would have to go to court to have you declared mentally or physically incompetent and be appointed to serve as your legal guardian and conservator. This process can be time-consuming, expensive, and publicly embarrassing. State laws vary regarding the use and acceptance of a power of attorney.

This web page provides general information only. Laws develop over time and differ from state to state. This brochure does not provide legal advice about specific legal problems. Let The Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C. advise you about your particular situation.

This Web site provides general information only. Laws develop over time and differ from state to state. This Web site does not provide legal advice about specific legal problems. Let The Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C. advise you about your particular situation.