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Answers ~ Living Will

A Living Will can grant your Surrogate the ability to execute your end of life decisions.

  • A Living Will becomes effective when one attending physician and one other physician determine that a patient is in a terminal condition (defined to mean an advanced state) or state or permanent unconsciousness, and the patient is unable to make or communicate decisions.  Without a Living Will, choices may be left up to a doctor or someone appointed by a judge - a person who may not know your values, beliefs, or preferences.  Even if you are in perfect health, you never know when life may throw a medical crisis your way.  For a more detailed explanation, please view the article When does a Living Will take effect? in the Authorships section of my Web Site

Your Surrogate should be able and willing, first and foremost.

  • Your Surrogate should also be stoic and strong.

Be aware that your doctor does not have to follow the dictates and directions of your Living Will.

  • Should this be the case, your doctor (as well as any health care provider) must inform you if they cannot, for whatever reason, follow your wishes as stated in your Living Will. Thus, it is important to provide a copy of your Living Will to your doctor (or any health care provider) when you enter a hospital or other medical facility.
  • If you are incompetent when you are admitted for medical care and have named someone in your living will to make decisions for you, that person must be informed if the wishes contained in your Living Will cannot be honored.  Your doctor (as well as any health care provider) who cannot honor your wishes in your Living Will must then help transfer you to another doctor (or health care provider) who is willing to carry out your directions. We hope that you will find our site informative and useful. Our goal is to provide the highest quality legal services to you and your business in a timely fashion. We welcome the opportunity to talk with you and to discuss how we may be of service.

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Serving clients by providing quality and timely legal services in the areas of Estate Planning Law (Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Trusts, Wills); Estate Administration Law (Probate, Ancillary Probate, Inheritance, Taxation, Settlement); Guardianship Law (Proceedings, Administration); and Burial and Cemetery Law.  Mr. Whalen serves clients in Chester County PA, in Delaware County PA, in Montgomery County PA, and in Philadelphia County PA, and Mr. Whalen has served clients in Ambler PA, in Andorra PA, in Ardmore PA, in Aston PA, in Audubon PA, in Avondale PA, in Berwyn PA, in Blue Bell PA, in Bridgeport PA, in Broomall PA, in Bryn Mawr PA, in Chadds Ford PA, in Chester Springs PA, in Chesterbrook PA, in Coatesville PA, in Collegeville PA, in Conshohocken PA, in Daylesford PA, in Devon PA, in Downingtown PA, in Doylestown PA, in Drexel Hill PA, in Eagleville PA, in East Brandywine PA, in Easttown PA, in Elkins Park PA, in Exton PA, in Fort Washington PA, in Frazer PA, in Glenside PA, in Great Valley PA, in Harleysville PA, in Haverford PA, in Havertown PA, in Jeffersonville PA, in Kennett Square PA, in King of Prussia PA, in Lansdale PA, in Limerick PA, in Linfield PA, in Linwood PA, in Lower Merion PA, in Lower Providence PA, in Malvern PA, in Media PA, in Merion PA, in Narberth PA, in Newtown Square PA, in Norristown PA, in Oaks PA, in Overbrook PA, in Oxford PA, in Paoli PA, in Parkesburg PA, in Philadelphia PA, in Phoenixville PA, in Plymouth Meeting PA, in Pottstown PA, in Radnor PA, in Ridley Park PA, in Rosemont PA, in St. Davids PA, in Springfield PA, in Strafford PA, in Swarthmore PA, in Thorndale PA, in Tredyffrin PA, in Trooper PA, in Upper Dublin PA, in Upper Merion PA, in Upper Providence PA, in Valley Forge PA, in Villanova PA, in Wayne PA, in West Brandywine PA, in West Chester PA, in Westtown PA, in Whitemarsh PA, in Willistown PA, and in Wynnewoood PA.