Cedar Rapids Living Will Attorneys

A living will, also known as an advanced health care directive, is a legal document that describes an individual’s wishes concerning any end-of-life medical care. This is because the individual is no longer physically or mentally able to make such decisions. At Arenson Law Group, PC we have extensive experience in guiding our clients through the process of creating a living will. This critical end-of-life care document will protect your loved ones from having to make critical and often emotional decisions if you are unable to do so yourself.

The Cedar Rapids living will lawyers at Arenson Law Group, PC serve the entire Iowa community, offering thorough and personalized legal services to our clients. We have the skills and experience to help you make the best decisions going forward in creating your living will. We are here to guide you in giving the people closest to you peace of mind. Call the attorneys at Arenson Law Group, PC at (319) 363-8199 today to get started on creating your living will.

Why Do I Need to Hire a Lawyer?

Living wills are a great way to ensure your wishes about your end-of-life care will be respected. However, they are very complicated to draft, and if you aren’t clear about your desires or consider all the possibilities, it could cause problems down the line. Similarly, if you make a mistake during the drafting, the document may not be legally binding, rendering the entire document useless. If this happens, your wishes may end up being completely ignored. To prevent this, it is important to hire an estate lawyer to help you craft a thorough and legally binding living will.

In facing the often vital decisions affecting your medical future, the Cedar Rapids attorneys at Arenson Law Group, PC are lawyers who care. We know exactly what it takes to make the process of designing a living will as simple and stress-free as possible. Arenson Law Group, PC offers many resources to help you in creating a living will. We work to ensure that your decisions translate to a well-drafted and legally sound document that protects your family’s peace of mind in the future. Our attorneys will compassionately guide you in making the best decisions for your end of life care.

Issues to Consider in Planning a Living Will

Iowa law states that a “decision” regarding your health care is essentially the consent to permit or withdraw health care according to your wishes. “Health care” legally means any medical procedure, method of care, or treatment intended to diagnose, treat, or stabilize your mental or physical well being. Federal law now requires health care practitioners to tell every patient, before being admitted for significant medical treatment, about the living will option. In Iowa, you may designate a power of attorney to deal with your medical-related legal decisions broadly, or, you may decide to select a combined living will and power of attorney.

A person you designate as medical or health care power of attorney will be able to make any life-support choices for you unless you decide to draft a living will. A living will effectively sets in stone your decisions regarding any life-sustaining procedures. No other person, including your power of attorney, will then have the right to make these crucial end-of-life decisions for you.

If you are thinking about creating a living will, consider what values are important to you personally, such as self-sufficiency and personal independence. We know that these are difficult issues to grapple with for most people. Creating a living will is a major step to take, and particularly crucial for several medical concerns. These may include:

  • Resuscitation in the event that your heart stops (often referred to as a DNR order)
  • Intubation in the event that you are unable to breathe
  • A mechanical ventilator to help you breathe if you are unresponsive or in a coma
  • Dialysis in the event that you are unresponsive or in a coma
  • Comfort care (or palliative care) including pain management if your medical condition is no longer treatable
  • Becoming an organ or tissue donor
  • Donating your body to be used in scientific research

Given the range of issues involved, it also is a good idea to talk to your primary care doctor, family, and friends when preparing to make these critical end-of-life healthcare choices.

Contact Us

The estate planning attorneys at Arenson Law Group, PC are here to help you make the best decisions for you and your family. We are dedicated to guiding you through all the legal matters and medical concerns in drafting a living will. Call the client-oriented attorneys at Arenson Law Group, PC today at (319) 363-8199 to get started in drafting your living will.

Written by James H. Arenson

Last Updated : December 3, 2021
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