Put health-care decisions in writing before a crisis
Advance Directive and Living Will in Columbiana, Alabama
An advance directive for health care allows you to state treatment preferences and identify the person you want involved in health-care decisions if you cannot communicate for yourself.
In Alabama, the statutory advance-directive framework addresses both treatment directions often described as a living will and the designation of a health-care proxy.
Put healthcare decisions in writing before a crisis.
An advance directive for health care allows you to state treatment preferences and identify the person you want involved in health-care decisions if you cannot communicate for yourself.
In Alabama, the statutory advance-directive framework addresses both treatment directions often described as a living will and the designation of a health-care proxy.
What the document addresses
The directive allows you to express wishes concerning life-sustaining treatment and artificially provided nutrition and hydration in circumstances addressed by Alabama law.
It can also identify a health-care proxy and alternate proxy.
The purpose is not to dictate every medical decision in advance.
It is to give physicians and family members clear guidance and to identify the person you trust to make decisions when judgment is still required.
Choosing the right healthcare proxy
The right proxy is someone you trust to understand your values, communicate with medical providers, and make difficult decisions under pressure.
It is wise to name an alternate in case the first person cannot act.
HIPAA authorization
A HIPAA authorization can permit designated family members or other trusted people to receive protected health information and communicate with medical providers.
Carden Legal Services ordinarily prepares a HIPAA authorization as a companion document so the people involved in your care can obtain the information they need.
Execution and distribution
Advance directives should be executed in compliance with Alabama law and then shared with the people who may need them. Keep copies available to your health-care proxy, family, physician, and relevant medical providers.
A document that nobody can locate when it is needed does not accomplish much, so accessibility is part of the planning.
Fees
An advance directive and HIPAA authorization are ordinarily included as part of a comprehensive estate-plan package.
Standalone documents can also be prepared when needed; the flat fee is quoted before work begins.
Common Questions
Find straightforward answers to some of the most frequent questions we receive about handwritten wills, intestacy, and the probate process in Alabama. For personalized guidance, our team is ready to assist.
Is a living will the same as an advance directive in Alabama?
The terms overlap in common use. Alabama’s advance-directive framework can include both written treatment directions and the appointment of a health-care proxy.
Can my family override my advance directive?
A valid advance directive is legally significant and should guide care within the circumstances it addresses. Clear communication with your proxy and family can reduce conflict and uncertainty when the document must be used.
Should an older advance directive be reviewed?
Yes. Review it if your chosen proxy has died, moved away, become unavailable, or is no longer the person you want to serve, and whenever your treatment preferences materially change.
No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
Carden Legal Services, LLC serves clients in the following Alabama locations: Birmingham, Alabaster, Helena, Pelham, Jefferson County, Shelby County, Chilton County, Montgomery, Prattville, Millbrook, Wetumpka, Tuskegee, Selma, Troy, Greenville, Autauga County, Montgomery County, Elmore County, Tri-County Region, River Region, Central Alabama, Alabama statewide.