Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyers Law Office of David M. Goldman Home
LGBT Advanced Directives
Jacksonville Gay, Lesbian, Unmarried Couples, Advance Directives Lawyer
Advance directives are documents that are crucial for gay, lesbian and same sex couples in Jacksonville and other areas of Florida. These important legal documents can allow you to advise healthcare providers of your wishes in the event that you become incapacitated or gravely ill.
It was only a few years ago when the importance of health care directives was on the national scene with the much publicized Florida case involving Terry Schiavo. The actions by Congress and the Florida Legislature motivated many to make the decision to not delay the signing of these important directions. No one wants estranged family members or others not intimately connected to our lives making important health care decisions.
Not only can these documents prevent interference by family members, but can be used to prevent a hospital or nursing home from banning a patient’s partner from the facility. These legal documents are used to identify who is to make the decisions and what those decisions should be.
Contact a LGBT friendly law firm and get started on controlling your life with a:
- Living Will applies to what are considered life-prolonging procedures. Allows you to express your wishes for the type of medical treatment you do or do not want if you suffer an illness or injury that leaves you in a particular type of medical condition.
- Designation of Health Care Surrogate allows the agent to make health care decisions about the medical treatment for the principal. The agent may only act if the principal is unable to make such decisions for him or herself due to incapacity.
- If there is not a Designation of Health Care Surrogate in place the principal’s family will be the presumptive health care surrogate.
- HIPAA Authorization to ensure the right to obtain your partner’s medical records and to discuss his/her condition with medical providers.
- Designation of Agent to designate the person authorized to visit a patient/resident in a healthcare facility (including nursing home, hospice, correctional facility . . .)
To learn more about how Advanced Directives keep you in control of your life and your future, contact a Jacksonville, Florida Gay and Lesbian Attorney
