Do You Have A Healthcare Directive In Place?

When you are a minor, your parent or guardian is responsible for making decisions regarding your healthcare. Once you become an adult, you assume this responsibility for yourself. Unfortunately, you may not always be able to make your healthcare wishes known. If you sustain serious injuries at the Lake of the Ozarks that leave you unable to communicate your wishes, you need to have something in place to make your wishes known.

Healthcare Directives

A healthcare directive is an official document that legally dictates your wishes regarding your healthcare. Healthcare directives can include a variety of different instructions, including:

• The types of treatment you would like (or would not like) to receive
• Where you would like to receive treatment
• Whether or not you would like to be an organ donor after your passing
• Who should be in charge of making important decisions on your behalf
• Special instructions for unique situations (for example: if you are pregnant)

Your healthcare directive will guide all of the procedures in the event that you are unable to communicate your wishes directly. If you are seriously injured without a healthcare directive in place, your healthcare provider should listen to your close family's opinions and follow their wishes. However, having a healthcare directive is the best way to ensure that your wishes will be known and met.

Who Should You Appoint As Your Representative?

Your healthcare representative will be responsible for making any important, real-time decisions in the event that you are unable to do so for yourself. For the most part, you are able to delegate anyone you would like as your representative. There are a few exceptions, however. For example, the following individuals may not be designated as your representative:

• Your primary care provider
• Anyone under eighteen years of age

Many people designate their spouse, sibling, or adult child as their representative. It is often wise to designate "back up" delegates as well, especially if you designate your spouse as your primary representative. Because you will most likely spend the majority of your time with your spouse, it is possible he/she could be subject to the same types of injuries as you. In the event that you are both incapacitated, you will need a third party to represent your wishes.

Set Up Your Healthcare Directive Today!

Putting together an official healthcare directive is the only way to ensure that your wishes will be followed in the event that you become unable to communicate. Hopefully you will never need this document, but it always better to be safe than sorry.

If you have any questions about personal injury law at the Lake of the Ozarks, remember that McDuffey Law Firm is always here for you.

McDuffey Law Firm, LLC
www.McDuffeyLaw.com
Ph. (573) 302-7211
Fax. (573) 302-7215

5754 Parkside Village Ct.,
P.O. Box 368
Osage Beach, Mo 65065
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