Defense Lawyer Directory Home Defense Law News Defense Law Articles Featured Defense Lawyers and Law Firms Site Map FAQ
  Please login Log in Join
You are here: Home » Medical Power of Attorney

Medical Power of Attorney

Medical Power of Attorney is a legal instrument that allows you to document your advanced care directives, specific instructions related to your ongoing health care preferences (prepared in advance) that you wish your agent ("attorney in fact") to follow in the event you are incapacitated or mentally incompetent to make such decisions in the future.

A power of attorney is an instrument (a legally binding document) that allows an individual, a partnership, or a corporation to authorize a specific individual to act as its agent or attorney in fact for certain matters.

Special Medical Power of Attorney is a unique legal document that allows you to appoint someone that you trust (sometimes called an agent, an attorney in fact, or a proxy) to make medical/healthcare decisions on your behalf -in the event you are unable to do so on your own. As the name suggests, Medical Power of Attorney involves only medical/healthcare related issues. It allows you to designate someone else to make medical/health-care decisions on your behalf. It does not empower your agent (your attorney in fact), however, to make any other decisions on your behalf -such as any legal or financial decisions, etc.

Unless you have already prepared a generic all-encompassing power of attorney or a durable power of attorney, it is a good idea to consider preparing at least a medical power of attorney. Not having prepared the same could potentially affect not only your long term treatment options, but also your quality of life. By clearing documenting your preferences as it relates to critical healthcare issues, and by appointing someone that you completely trust to make such decisions for you in the event you are incapacitated, you not only help everyone be fully aware of your advanced care directives, you also spare your family, your friends, and your caregivers any confusion regarding the same.

Once you have prepared your medical power of attorney, it is important that you make it avaiable to your care-takers, your familiy members, and your agent. It may not be a bad idea to keep a copy of the same in your wallet/purse as well.

We are working on further augmenting this document with links to Medical Power of Attroney Lawyers, Medical Power of Attorney law related legal professionals, and law firms specializing in Medical Power of Attorney related matters. You are, of course, welcome to suggest we add an URL link to your favorite Power of Attorney Lawer's website!

Power of Attroney related documents available at this website include: General Power of Attroney, Medical Power of Attorney, Durable Power of Attorney, Springing Power of Attorney , Limited Power of Attorney, and Power of Attorney Forms.

Please visit our Power of Attorney Related Articles and our Power of Attorney News section for the latest information.