Most people do not want extraordinary medical measures taken if there is little chance of recovering to a meaningful life. However, absent instructions to the contrary, medical personnel have to take all available measures to keep a patient alive. In a living will/advanced health care directive, the individual’s wishes regarding extraordinary measures is set forth and a health care proxy is named to make sure that the wishes are followed if the individual is incapacitated. The person named as the health care proxy should be someone who will follow the individual’s wishes. Naming the appropriate family member as the health care proxy avoids the potential arguments between family members over the course of action to be taken.
Contact Schwartz Hunter, PC to arrange a consultation with a lawyer at a reduced rate by calling 973-895-1175 or by contacting us online. For those clients who may have a difficult time coming to our Randolph, New Jersey, office for an appointment, we can make arrangements to meet with you.