Texas Living Will Attorneys
Ensure your wishes are honored with a living will
Landing in the ICU unable to make life-and-death decisions for yourself, surrounded by loved ones who don’t know what your wishes are—it’s a worst-case scenario. But with a living will, you ensure that your loved ones know what you’d like to have happen during times of uncertainty and stress.
A living will, also known as a directive to physicians, can provide you, your family members, and doctors with the confidence that the decisions made if you are incapacitated will align with your values.
At the law firm of Shann M. Chaudhry Esq., Attorney at Law PLLC, our compassionate Texas living will attorneys can guide you in creating a living will that protects your wishes no matter what comes your way. Contact us today for an affordable consultation.
What Is a Living Will?
A living will is a legal directive that allows you to give medical professionals directions related to the administration or withdrawal of life-sustaining interventions and medications if you’ve suffered irreversible damage due to an accident or illness.
Unlike a regular will, which activates after your passing, a living will is valid only until your death.
The team at Shann M. Chaudry, Esq., Attorney at Law PLLC, has extensive experience creating powerfully effective living wills. We work closely with our clients to understand their goals and communicate them with thorough legal documentation.
Why You Should Have a Living Will
One of the most important reasons for having a living will is the peace of mind it gives you and your loved ones.
Having a document that clearly explains what care you want regarding things like life support can:
- Put medical decisions in the hands of experts
- Prevent disagreements among your family members
- Reduce stress on your family
- Remove the emotional burden of making hard decisions from your loved ones
- Help you maintain control over your care until the end of your life
It’s also important to make the decision now, during your lifetime, instead of leaving tough decisions to your loved ones, who are already distressed.
Living Will vs. Power of Attorney
A living will is not the same thing as a power of attorney, although the two are often confused. Here are the differences:
LIVING WILL |
POWER OF ATTORNEY |
|
| Authorizes physicians to make medical decisions for you | ✅ | |
| Authorizes an agent to make medical decisions for you | ✅ | |
| For use in all healthcare decisions if you’re incapacitated | ✅ | |
| For use only if you are terminally ill or have an irreversible condition | ✅ | |
| Is considered an advance directive | ✅ | ✅ |
Because they each work in a slightly different way, having both a living will and a medical power of attorney can provide the fullest amount of support possible. However, unless you specify otherwise, a living will takes precedence over a power of attorney, so it’s essential to clarify who you want to have make decisions in life-or-death situations.
Let our estate planning professionals help you get your affairs in order.
What Is Included in a Living Will?
A living will details what “extraordinary care” you agree to receive and what treatment options you want to refuse in the event of permanent, irreversible damage or a terminal diagnosis. It’s your way of telling your doctors how much you want them to do to keep you alive when your prognosis is unfavorable.
Your living will should include your feelings about the use of life support interventions such as:
- Resuscitation (via both CPR and AED)
- Ventilators (machines that breathe for you if you cannot do so on your own)
- Feeding through an NG, OG, G, or J tube
- Antibiotics
- Antiviral drugs
- Dialysis or ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)
- Comfort care and pain management
A living will can also include your wishes for organ and tissue donation.
How Our Texas Living Will Attorneys Can Help
Book a Consultation With a Trusted Living Will Attorney
Discussions about end-of-life care can seem uncomfortable, but they don’t have to be hard. If you are ready to declare your wishes and spare your loved ones a painful decision-making process, let’s talk about creating your living will today.