Answer: Yes. As discussed above, nearly every state has already approved specific wording for living wills to be used in those states. Some states allow you to completely change the wording they suggest; other states warn that your living will must be nearly identical to the wording of the form they have approved. But regardless of the wording of your living will, ALL states have strict signature and witness requirements. Running afoul of those requirements could easily invalidate your living will. All of our forms are guaranteed to comply with the law of your state. You simply WILL NOT find this guarantee on any other web site selling living wills because other web sites haven't researched the living will requirements of every single state as we have.

Answer: Almost every state has approved specific wording for living wills, and the wording varies from state to state. Generally, however, the living will or advance health care directive says that the person signing the document does not wish to be kept alive by artificial means such as a respirator or intravenous feedings if that person is a) terminally ill and permanently unconscious or b) just permanently unconscious (as in the case of a coma.) The living wills usually have safeguards to protect you, such as having two doctors certify in writing that you are permanently unconscious in their opinion. The living wills also usually say that although you don't want to be kept alive artificially, you do want to receive medication that will ease your pain or discomfort. Many living will forms allow you to place your initials next to various alternatives, insuring that your living will says what you believe.

Answer: Living wills have become indispensable end-of-life documents because modern medicine has become very adept at keeping the human body alive long after the quality of life has dramatically decreased. As many people know and personally fear, a doctor armed with all the latest technology can and usually will keep a patient alive long after that person has the ability to communicate his or her desire to be separated from the respirators, intravenous feeders and other mechanical life-sustaining measures.

Question: Why Would a Physician Keep a Permanently Unconscious Person Alive Indefinitely?

Answer: Doctors are trained to keep people alive; it is the purpose of their profession. Indeed, the medical professionals' Hippocratic Oath requires them to preserve the sanctity of life. Consequently, removing life support from a patient generally goes against a doctor's training, instincts and experience. Even doctors who personally believe that a terminally ill and/or vegetative patient should be permitted to die may be wary about removing life support because of the potential legal liability. By drafting a valid living will, you can arm your physician with the legal protection he or she needs to honor your wishes.

Answer: When considering whether to sign a living will, one factor to strongly consider is the exorbitant cost of keeping a human body alive. Long after you brain has ceased all functions that make you who you are, your body may continue to subsist indefinitely on modern life support systems. The cost of this medical treatment can be outrageous, and many people believe it is a wholly unnecessary because for all practical purposes the patient has already died.

Question: When Do I Really Need To Write a Living Will Document?

Answer: Everyone--even the young--should write a living will and place a copy in his or her medical file. The unfortunate reality is that everyone faces the risk of a devastating injury or illness which can lead to permanent unconsciousness. The best time to write the living will is long before the onset of injury or illness, while you have the unquestioned mental capacity to express you desires strongly and clearly in a written document that is difficult to challenge. Keep in mind that you can change your mind and your Living Will at any time UNTIL you become incapacitated. After that, it's too late.