Advance healthcare directives, often called living wills, are very important even though most people have never heard of one.  Living wills or advance directives allow you to choose what type of medical decisions will be made on your behalf if you become incapable of making these decisions yourself. Generally, a living will should be paired with a power of attorney which would allow a person to make other types of decisions for you if you become unable.

At South Coast Estate Plans, we are experienced California estate planning attorneys who can draft an advanced healthcare directive for your current place in life. We understand your desire to have a confidential advocate and are here to assist you.

Contact our office now to speak with a California estate planning lawyer today.

Living wills take the burden from certain important decisions from your family members.  It makes it so they don’t have to make the tough challenges of when to pull the plug or stop treatment if you become vegetative or no longer able to act.  This can save them from the guilt and pain of having to make these decisions for you and can avoid inevitable disagreements between family members of what actions to take.  

A good example of this occurring is in the Terri Schiavo case from the early 2000s.  In this case, Terri became vegetative and her husband and legal guardian wished to pull the plug because that is what she would have wanted.  The parents disagreed and a protracted legal battle ensued. If Terri had a valid living will already effectuated, then no legal battle could have occurred and her husband and parents could have had a healthy grieving process instead of a legal battle which most likely has permanently ruined anything semblance of friendship.