LEGAL DOCUMENTS

Preparing for the Future ∙ Mesothelioma Lawyers

For clients with mesothelioma, it is especially important to prepare for the future. A sudden event could lead to incapacity or an aggressive downgrade in health. It is essential to name agents and leave clear instructions, as far in advance as possible, to provide for the possibility that one day you might not be able to make or communicate these decisions on your own.

Living Wills, DNRs and Medical Powers of Attorney

Some of the most important legal documents include:

  • Living Wills: A type of advance directive in which a patient explains his or her wishes about future medical treatment in the event that he or she is at the end of life and cannot communicate. The purpose of the living will is to help doctors and family members decide how aggressive to be in the provision of medical treatments.
  • Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders: A DNR order is a physician’s written order instructing health care providers not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of cardiac or respiratory arrest. A person with a valid DNR order will not be given CPR. The DNR must be signed by a physician to be valid.
  • Advance Directives: A general term that encompasses two types of legal documents, living wills and medical powers of attorney. These documents allow you to select someone to make future health care and medical decisions if you are unable to make them. Each state has different regulations for the use of advance directives.
  • Medical Power of Attorney: A document that allows the patient to appoint someone to make decisions about his or her medical care if he or she cannot communicate. It is also called a health care proxy, durable power of attorney for health care, or appointment of a health care agent or surrogate. The person appointed can be called a health care agent, surrogate, attorney-in-fact or proxy.

Contact California Mesothelioma Attorneys ∙ Kaiser Gornick LLP

From our San Francisco Bay Area offices, our lawyers help our clients obtain fair and full compensation for mesothelioma.

Contact us at (800) 824-8234 to speak with an attorney or schedule a free initial consultation online.