Medical Power of Attorney Analysis

A medical power of attorney is an important legal document that designates someone to make important medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated. A medical power of attorney is often created with the help of an estate planning lawyer, however, these can be signed by a patient in a hospital setting. 

In this case, an individual approached our Estate Planning Team for counsel about their parent's medical power of attorney. Our client's mother was in the hospital and signed one, however, she kept changing her mind about whether she wanted to be resuscitated.

We advise our client about the options regarding a request for a second medical opinion about whether their mother had the mental capacity to make her own medical decisions. We also counseled the clients on their options for decision-making as medical power of attorney.