Preparation Is the Key to Preventing Health Care Disputes
Have you thought about how decisions about your health care will be made in the event you become incapacitated? At The Law Office of Stuart A. McKenzie, I can help you explore all of the legal options available to you, including advance health care directives and living wills.
In my decades of practice, I have seen that the most important part of an estate plan isn’t just about what you own, it’s about how you are cared for. Since 1977, I have helped families in Huntington Beach and across Orange County and Southern California navigate these deeply personal decisions with empathy and legal precision. My mission is to provide you with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your medical wishes are documented, and your loved ones are protected from making agonizing guesses during a crisis.
If you don’t put your wishes in writing, critical decisions regarding your health treatment can become the subject of debate between family members. These decisions may even be left to judges.
Understanding Advance Health Care Directives in California
In California, an advance health care directive is a comprehensive document that combines what were previously known as a living will and a power of attorney for health care. Advance health care directives generally include the following components:
- Durable power of attorney for health care: This allows you to name a health care agent, someone you trust implicitly, to make decisions for you if you become incapacitated.
- Living will: This provides specific instructions regarding end-of-life care, including preferences for life-sustaining treatments, pain management, and organ donation.
An advance health care directive can achieve important goals, including:
- Appointing a trusted agent to make critical medical decisions in the event you are no longer able to make those decisions for yourself
- Sparing your family members from contentious disputes over life-sustaining and end-of-life treatment
- Eliminating the need for establishing a conservatorship
If you already have a health care directive in place and need to update it, I can review your documents to ensure they are up to date and still aligned your goals. I welcome the opportunity to review your overall picture regarding estate planning.
Planning with Confidence
I understand that creating an advanced health care directive can be a sensitive topic, and I’m here to help make the process easier. I will take the time to listen to your concerns and goals and develop a personalized plan that meets your unique needs.
Contact My Estate Planning Law Office Today
I am here to ensure that your wishes are carried through in the face of an uncertain future. I give my clients peace of mind by establishing legal orders that withstand scrutiny. Contact me online or by telephone at 714-975-8396 to arrange a free initial consultation with an experienced estate planning lawyer in Huntington Beach.