What is a living will?

A living will is a document that lets you decide how you’d like to be treated if you become seriously ill or incapacitated and unable to make decisions about your own medical care. This document is also known as an advance directive or an advance healthcare directive and indicates the medical treatments you would or wouldn’t like to receive in the future. You can create a living will in West Virginia so that your wishes will be known and respected if you become incapacitated. Creating a living will is important because it allows you to choose how you would like to be treated if you become unable to communicate your wishes. You can specify the kinds of medical treatments you would or would not like to receive, such as life-prolonging treatments, artificial nutrition, and coma induction. A living will also allows you to name a health care proxy, who can then make important medical decisions for you when you can’t make them for yourself. It’s important to note that a living will only applies if you become incapacitated, so it won’t affect decisions regarding any current medical treatments. Also, West Virginia’s living will must follow certain legal requirements for it to be valid.

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