Woburn Health Care Proxy Lawyer

Advocating for Your Medical Wishes

Consenting to medical treatments is a huge decision for many people. If you become incapacitated, you won’t be able to advocate for yourself in a medical setting. By creating a health care proxy, you will name someone to legally make health care decisions for you if you can’t do so yourself. Having a health care proxy can be a great comfort, ensuring  there will always be someone you trust making medical decisions for you.

If you’re interested in creating a health care proxy, working with our estate planning lawyer is the best way to get your wishes known in a legally recognized way. Our elder law attorney knows how to create a legal document that will stand up in court if questioned. We’re dedicated to protecting your medical wishes and advocating for your rights even if you become incapacitated.

The Heritage Law Center understands how important it is to plan for the future. We’re committed to serving our clients in the Massachusetts area. For more information about our services, contact us today by calling (617) 765-9307.

What is a Health Care Proxy?

A health care proxy is a legal document that grants another person the legal authority to act as your health care agent. Your agent can make medical decisions for you if you’re no longer able to. In many cases, this is due to incapacitation, either from a physical injury or mental decline.

You can choose anyone 18 years of age or older to be your health care proxy. Many individuals choose their partner, adult child, or sibling to act as their proxy. It’s essential to choose an agent who can make swift decisions under pressure while still keeping your medical wishes in mind.

Your health care proxy will only be able to make decisions for you if your physician confirms that you’re unable to make decisions on your own. As long as you’re mentally competent, you’ll have the power to change or revoke your proxy at any time.

What Are the Benefits of a Health Care Proxy?

Having a health care agent gives you the peace of mind that you’ll be taken care of the way you want if you ever become incapacitated. By assigning an individual you trust to advocate for your wants and needs, you can rest assured that your wishes will be respected, even if you can no longer communicate them.

Family members can also get a sense of peace knowing their loved one has written detailed instructions for their medical care. Making medical decisions can be difficult for your loved ones, especially if you’re injured or ill. Your family members can avoid time spent arguing for or against certain medical treatments you may or may not want.

Without a health care proxy in place, your loved ones may have to go to court to have a guardian named in order to direct your health care treatment, a process that takes time and costs money. In Massachusetts, a spouse, the parents of an adult child, and adult children have no legal right to make health care decisions for you when you’re incapacitated. Some health care providers may rely informally on family members to make decisions, but legally medical providers don’t have to follow those directions. A health care proxy is an essential part of doing a comprehensive estate plan.

Can a Health Care Proxy Be Revoked?

A health care proxy can be changed or revoked at anytime assuming that you’re conscious and able to do so. Our team can help you modify or revoke your document when needed.

Your health care proxy is revoked when any of the following happens:

• You sign another health care proxy document.
• You legally separate from or divorce your spouse who is named in your health care proxy as your agent.
• You do anything that clearly shows you want to revoke your health care proxy like tearing up or destroying the document, crossing it out, telling other people, etc.
• You notify your agent, doctor, or other health care provider, orally or in writing that you want to revoke your health care proxy.

What is a Living Will?

A living will outlines medical treatments you would and wouldn’t want to be used to keep you alive in the event of a terminal illness or injury. For example, you can make your preferences known about such medical treatment as feeding tubes, CPR, and ventilators.

Massachusetts is one of only three states that recognizes health care proxies but doesn’t recognize living wills. However, living wills are still useful because they offer guidance to your health care agent and medical staff about the types of choices you would make for end-of-life care.

What Can an Estate Planning Lawyer Do for Me?

Creating a proper estate plan not only protects your financial matters, but it protects your health care wishes as well. Assigning a health care agent gives you the peace of mind that you have someone in place who will follow your guidance for medical care if you’re ever incapacitated. Your children and your other family members can rest assured knowing your medical wishes will be respected, even if you’re no longer able to communicate with them.

Our estate planning lawyer can help you create a health care proxy and designate a health care agent to meet your needs. Planning ahead with estate planning isn’t only crucial for your physical well-being, but also for taking care of yourself and your family emotionally and financially. We’ll work with you to create a comprehensive estate plan that meets your specific goals and includes the documents that will help express your wishes for health care. Contact The Heritage Law Center at 617-765-9307 today.