Experienced Long Island Estate Planning Law Firm Addressing Long-term Health Care Needs

Helping clients in Suffolk and Nassau Counties and across Long Island plan for future health care needs

Developing an estate plan involves much more than leaving your assets to designated beneficiaries after your death. It is also important to establish plans for who will make decisions in critical times if you are unable to make them for yourself.

When you bring your estate planning concerns to the experienced attorneys at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP, we ensure that you address all important issues, including those concerning future health care concerns.

A health care proxy keeps important decisions in the hands of individuals you trust

Reaching an advanced age sometimes hampers people’s ability to make the best decisions about their health care. Younger people may also lose their capacity to make health decisions after sustaining severe injuries or illnesses. In such cases, it is extremely important to have people in place to make the right decisions.

Before performing surgery or initiating other medical treatments, doctors are required by law to obtain permission from a person legally authorized to sign the necessary documents. When appropriate authorization is not in place, doctors turn to family members who may or may not know your wishes. The New York Health Care Proxy Law allows you to designate a person who understands your wishes to make decisions concerning your treatment in these situations. Our attorneys provide sensitive guidance to help you choose the right individual to make these vital decisions on your behalf.

Living wills help doctors make the right life-support decisions

Even if you do not have a valid health care proxy, a living will (also known as an advance medical directive) can help doctors determine the appropriate degree of life-sustaining treatment to provide if you are terminally ill. But doctors may interpret directive language differently than you intended.

In general, a close family member or a trusted friend is best equipped to deal with medical information and make emotionally charged life-or-death decisions in accordance with your personal wishes. Establishing both a living will and a health care proxy can make a vital difference in ensuring that doctors adhere to your end-of-life preferences.

Contact an estate planning attorney to protect your health care future

Planning for your health care future is an important part of estate planning. At Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP, we help clients designate trusted individuals who can make vital decisions, and we ensure that doctors know what to do, and upon whom to rely, in medical emergencies. To discuss your legal issues and learn how we can help you, contact us online or call us at 631-360-0400.