Wood Law Group: Your Las Vegas Living Will Lawyers

Las Vegas Living Will Attorneys

As the name suggests, living will attorneys are Las Vegas lawyers who handle issues relating to living wills. These lawyers help their clients by providing legal advice and options for managing their cases in relation to future healthcare directives.

Most people feel that issues regarding a living will or living trust are best left for the last years of life. However, it is never too early in a person’s life to decide their medical wishes and how their estate should be administered after death.

Living wills and trusts are part of a comprehensive estate plan. Although complex, having a comprehensive estate plan is vital to ensure that you are treated well if something terrible happens and that all your wishes are respected.

If you have just relocated to Nevada from another state, consulting a living will attorney from a Las Vegas law firm such as the Wood Law Group may be a good idea. We will help you to verify if you should draft a Nevada-specific living will or continue with your out-of-state will.

What Is a Living Will?

A living will is a legal instrument that describes the kind of medical treatment a person wants or does not want to receive if they cannot convey their desires.

A living will is a separate document from your regular will. As such, it does not determine who receives your assets upon your death. The purpose of a living will is to inform healthcare professionals of your wishes if you become incapacitated and unable to communicate your desires. You will need to outline all your medical preferences, including life support, artificial feeding, or dialysis.

Importance of a Living Will

In today’s modern era of advanced medical technology, a living will is increasingly important. In cases where the hospital authorities are dealing with an unconscious patient with a terminal disease or a life-threatening condition, doctors and hospitals consult the living will to determine what critical healthcare decisions should be taken.

Without a living will, choices regarding medical treatment fall to a spouse, adult children, or other family members. These persons may be oblivious to the patient’s wishes or unwilling to adhere to the patient’s vocal and unwritten instructions.

However, a living will ensures that the patient’s instructions are followed to the letter. You may consider hiring a Wood Law Group living wills attorney to help draft your living will document.

Requirements for a Living Will in Nevada

Nevada law specifies the conditions for a living will. Under this law, the following are some requirements for creating a living will:

• The document’s creator (declarant) must be at least 18.

• The declarant or a person authorized by the declarant has to sign the living will.

• The living will must be signed in the presence of two witnesses.

• Living wills must be created using the sample in Nevada Revised Statutes Sections 449-610 and 449-613, or a substantially comparable form can be used.

A living will can appoint an agent to make health care decisions regarding withdrawing or withholding life support. Nevertheless, it is ineffective if it is found that the patient is pregnant and a live birth is likely.

As a declarant, you can change or revoke your living will at any moment. The revocation forms a part of your medical record. Suppose a medical professional cannot ethically implement the intentions specified in the living will. In that case, they must immediately transfer you to the care of a medical provider who can honor your wishes.

Under Nevada State Law, life-sustaining procedures are any medical operation or intervention that, when delivered to a patient, helps to prolong the dying process. As such artificial nourishment and hydration are life-sustaining procedures and cannot be withheld unless the patient’s living will express a different choice.

The law surrounding living wills can be complex. An experienced living will attorney can help you understand the requirements and conditions applicable to it in simpler terms.

Limitation of a Living Will

Living wills typically primarily focus on terminal illness, permanent unconsciousness, and cognitive decline. They generally come into play when recovery is neither probable nor feasible. They generally discuss the kind of treatments a patient does or does not want to go through in such cases.

Living wills, despite being beneficial for end-of-life care:

• Only deal with a small number of medical circumstances.
• They are not always accessible when doctors provide care to patients.
• Rarely anticipate treatment-related side effects.

Why Should You Hire a Las Vegas Wills Lawyer?

It may be a good idea for everyone over 18 to have a living will as a part of their comprehensive estate plan. The knowledge and counsel of a Las Vegas wills attorney is invaluable for ensuring that your desires and wishes are respected till the very end of your life.

Some advantages of using a living wills attorney include the following:

• They can assist you in drafting a document that is crafted appropriately and complies with all Nevada state law requirements.
• They can help you modify living wills or trust documents that meet your needs as your life evolves.
• They can discuss other advanced medical directives such as medical power of attorney and do not resuscitate orders and help you choose the right strategy for your unique case.

Contact the Wood Law Group Today!

If you don’t have a living will yet, contact an estate planning attorney from the Wood Law Group to discuss your estate planning needs that guarantee your health care is administered according to your wishes.

We can also help you with other questions or inquiries about living trusts and wills. Contact us to schedule a free consultation and kickstart your journey toward estate planning today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does a Living Trust and Living Will Cost in Nevada?

Creating a living trust or living wills may involve the services of an attorney. Usually, the cost will depend on many variables, including your case’s complexity, the law firm’s size, and other factors related to your case.

What Is a Power of Attorney?

A power of attorney permits another person to make decisions and execute documents on your behalf if you are incapacitated due to age, disability, or injury. With this legal document, you can appoint a trusted individual to act and make decisions concerning healthcare and financial affairs in your stead.