If you are over the age of eighteen, and unmarried, this blog article is important for you.
Only recently have I made the shocking realization that I am not as protected as I hoped to be. While talking to a colleague this week, I made the discovery that I have left my future in potential jeopardy. The reason being, that if I was ever to become unable to make decisions for myself, I have not designated someone to act on my behalf, with either medical, legal, or financial decisions.
Once you turn 18, your parents have no legal authority to make decisions on your behalf.
Yes, it is true. Once you turn 18 you are an adult in the eyes of the law, which means that you alone have the authority to make your medical and legal decisions. But, what happens if (knock on wood) you were to suffer an accident leaving you unconscious or otherwise unable to make decisions? Who gets to make the decisions for you when you are incapable of making them yourself? Well the answer is simple: you must be legally married for your spouse to have the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf; otherwise, your doctors have the final say.
Recently I heard stories from two mothers who were confronted with this reality head-on. One relayed to me the heartbreaking tale of rushing to an emergency room after her 19 year-old son suffered an accident that threatened his respiratory system. However, when she arrived at the hospital and demanded information from the nurses and doctors, she was met with the frustrating reply, "I'm sorry ma'am, but your son has not authorized us to release that information to you." With her son in too much pain to speak, she was forced to remain in the waiting room praying, while the doctors made the decisions for him. I do not mean to suggest that the doctors should not be trusted, after all, they spend years learning to make the best decisions. However, its important to know that someone that cares for you on an emotional level can make the right decision for you, after gaining full knowledge from the medical experts.
The real truth is that without legal documents in place, a parent loses the ability to make their children's medical decisions the day they turn 18. Thankfully, a correctly made Health Care Power of Attorney can relinquish this problem. This document not only authorizes the person of your choosing to make decisions for you, but it also can authorize your doctors to release your medical information to specific relatives, relieving their agony of having the sit in the waiting room praying with the inability of being involved.
The best course of action is to also complete what is called a medical directive, or a living will. This document is your chance to put on paper what you would wish to happen should you be unable to make decisions for yourself. It is your opportunity to have your voice heard, even if you were in an unconscious state. While documents such as this made be hard to think about, they are extremely important if the need for them was ever to arise.
Contact me today to talk about putting in place the right legal documents to protect your future, as you see it.
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