Minneapolis Living Will Attorney

Living Wills Overview

Wills are usually after death instructions allotting possessions, finances, and duties to family members, close friends, or charities. A living will, in contrast, is a legal document that allows a person to explain what medical treatments and procedures he or she does or does not want performed during the course of a terminal illness. A living will becomes an active source of guidance when the person becomes incapacitated because of the effects of illness and is no longer capable of stating his or her wishes for care.

Although a living will includes the term will, the document is more similar to a power of attorney. Because of the advances modern medicine has recently achieved, doctors are more able to preserve and sustain life for an extended period of time. A living will clarifies if a person wishes to be kept alive while in a condition where normal expression of wishes and desires is impossible. Some people choose to be kept alive in a vegetative state, others choose to refuse all preservative methods including respirators and feeding tubes. A living will is a useful document as it takes all guesswork out of making a permanent choice about another person’s life, relieving family members from a hard decision and the potential conflict and guilt that could result from such a life altering moment. A living will becomes an active document when it is provided to your doctor and incapacitation from illness occurs.

If you are interested in setting up a living will or have questions about your current arrangement, contact the attorneys at Skjold ▪ Barthel today at 612.746.2560.