Directives to Physicians and Family or Surrogates (also known simply as “Directives to Physicians,” and more commonly called “living wills”) are part of responsible health care decision-making at any time of life. These documents take the burden off your loved ones, so they don’t have to make or communicate end-of-life decisions for you. 

At 1st Estate Planning, we offer trustworthy guidance for all your estate planning needs. Our primary offices are in McKinney, TX, but we represent clients throughout the State of Texas. Call at (469) 207-1529 in McKinney, TX, to discuss Directives to Physicians with us. 

In the meantime, you can read the information below to learn more about Directives to Physicians in Texas.

What Are Directives to Physicians Under Texas Law?

Directives to Physicians are legal documents that communicate your wishes about medical treatment at some time in the future, but only if your medical condition becomes irreversible or terminal, and only when you can no longer speak for yourself. Such circumstances may develop out of an existing medical condition for which life-sustaining measures eventually become necessary, or because of a sudden, life-threatening injury. 

Under the following conditions, the use of Directives to Physicians is highly advantageous: 

• Permanent vegetative state or being permanently unconscious
• Severe physical trauma
• Terminal illness such as cancer 

Directives to Physicians are legally binding documents, by which you direct a medical team to perform or avoid certain end-of-life measures. These documents are more fully described as: “

Directives to Physicians may provide detailed instructions regarding your desires to receive or reject extraordinary medical care that may include the following: 

• Assisted breathing, digestion, or other life support. Employing ventilators, dialysis machines, or feeding tubes to keep you alive.
• Artificial administration of life-prolonging essentials. Receiving artificial nutrition and hydration when you cannot eat or drink enough to sustain life or health, and intravenous antibiotics to fight off infections.
• Palliative or comfort care. Deciding to receive medical treatment to alleviate pain or discomfort even if you can’t make medical decisions.

In addition to Directives to Physicians, Texas law provides for two other types of directives that can be important during a serious illness.  These are Medical Powers of Attorney and Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders.  You may wish to discuss these with your physician, family, hospital representative, or other advisers.  You may also wish to complete a directive related to the donation of organs and tissues.

Get Professional Help with Your Directives to Physicians in Texas 

If you go online, you’ll find many Directives to Physicians forms that look generic and easy to complete. However, an experienced attorney can custom-draft Directives to Physicians to meet your individual preferences and can help you navigate the nuances that may not be obvious when you are first considering this document. An attorney also knows the state-specific laws and statutes governing Directives to Physicians in Texas. 

At 1st Estate Planning, we’ve helped tens of thousands of clients in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro Area, North Texas, and across the entire State of Texas make difficult yet necessary decisions relating to end-of-life care and estate planning. Life is unpredictable, so don’t delay completing your advance directive. 

Call us at 1st Estate Planning today at (469) 207-1529 in McKinney, TX, for competent, compassionate legal help.