A Health Care Power of Attorney is a document in which you designate someone to be your representative in the event you are unable to make or communicate decisions about aspects of your individual health care.
When you are competent, you can make health care decisions for yourself, but what happens if you can’t make those decisions for yourself? That is when you should have a plan in place.
Choosing your Health Care Power of Attorney is an important decision. You must pick someone that you trust with your life, so you should think carefully. The person you select is called your Health Care Agent.
A Health Care Power of Attorney goes farther than a living will. If you are not terminally ill, in a permanent vegetative state or other death-stage condition, a living will is practically of no use. However, in cases of incompetency (i.e. under anesthesia or in a comatose state).
Living Will & Health Care Power of Attorney
You can have both a Living Will and a Health Care Power of Attorney. Having both can insure your needs are covered in every respect. It can provide them with some sort of guidance as to what you would ultimately like. This document can be as broad or as limited as possible, entirely dependent on your preference.
States have different requirements when it comes to creating a Health Care Power of Attorney. As you begin to plan your medical care, it is important that you are informed about your own state’s laws. A Health Care Power of Attorney Lawyer in Raleigh, North Carolina can help.
Estate Planning Attorneys
Maginnis Howard’s estate planning attorneys can answer any questions that you might have regarding Health Care Power of Attorneys.
You can call Maginnis Howard at 919.526.0450 to speak with an estate planning attorney or email us with any questions through our contact page. Maginnis Howard also offers personal injury, consumer law, and business litigation attorneys as well.
