St. Petersburg Health Care Directives & Living Wills Attorney
Your Guide to Estate Planning in St. Petersburg
Elder law includes estate planning, yet has a more comprehensive focus on advance directives – documents prepared to continue your wishes in case you are incapacitated.
Advance directives include:
- Living wills
- Health care surrogate designations
- Directives to physicians
- Advance directives for mental health matters
Discover your options for health care directives in St. Petersburg - Call (727) 240-2350 or Contact Us today.
Understanding Living Wills in Florida
A living will expresses to doctors and other medical professionals a person’s wishes regarding the use of life-sustaining medical procedures under three conditions in Florida:
- An end-stage condition
- Terminal condition
- And a persistent vegetative state
A living will is NOT a substitute for a health care surrogate or durable medical power of attorney.
Living wills can be written in general or very specific terms. Elder law attorneys are typically more knowledgeable about many different circumstances for which a living will may be indicated.
Living wills should not be merely simple forms but should be as thorough as possible in communicating an individual’s wishes.
Designating a Health Care Surrogate in St. Petersburg
The Health Care Surrogate Designation is a powerful document that can be used by your surrogate (the person you name) to assist you when you are unable to make your own medical decisions.
The Role of a Health Care Surrogate
The surrogate can access medical information and assist in making medical decisions when you need it, then, if you no longer need assistance, step out until you need help again. With a health care surrogate in place, medical staff will be able to provide your named surrogate with full information about your health status.
The surrogate can also hire medical personnel for you, access insurance information, and make a variety of important decisions on your behalf.
Consequences of Not Naming a Health Care Surrogate
If you do not name a person to make decisions for you at the time you need them, two things could happen:
- Either the hospital could designate a Health Care Proxy to make decisions for you
- Or a court could appoint a guardian
In both cases, there are various limitations made upon the decision maker and someone who does not know you will choose your decision maker for you.
Need help with estate planning? Contact our St. Petersburg lawyers at (727) 240-2350 for a personalized consultation.
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"He is very knowledgeable about elder law especially, and I feel fortunate to know him and be able to avail myself of his services."- Joyce L.
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"We were overwhelmed and didn't know where to start, but the team at HKH Elder Law made the entire process so much easier. Their communication was outstanding, every question we had was answered promptly and clearly, and they took the time to explain each s"We were overwhelmed and didn't know where to start, but the team at HKH Elder Law made the entire process so much easier. Their communication was outstanding, every question we had was answered promptly and clearly, and they took the time to explain each s- Ebony B.
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"I highly recommend Jonathan and the entire team at HKH Elder Law."I was referred to HKH Elder Law by my sister-in-law (an elder care attorney in MA). It was a phenomenal recommendation; working with Jonathan Kinsella of HKH Elder Law proved to be the perfect choice.- Tom
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"Extremely Knowledgeable and Professional"I highly recommend them; you will be glad to work with them on all your elder care needs.- Susan
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"HKH Elder Law guided us through the complications patiently, and efficiently. The words that come to mind are professionalism, flexibility, people skills, integrity, and responsiveness. Great experience - highly recommend!"HKH Elder Law guided us through the complications patiently, and efficiently. The words that come to mind are professionalism, flexibility, people skills, integrity, and responsiveness. Great experience - highly recommend!- Marcia F.
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"Experts in their field. Very knowledgeable. Offer free zoom meetings that cover so many subjects including Medicare, Medicaid, will, estate planning."Experts in their field. Very knowledgeable. Offer free zoom meetings that cover so many subjects including Medicare, Medicaid, will, estate planning.”Experts in their field. Very knowledgeable. Offer free zoom meetings that cover so many subjects inc- Ursula R.
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"She and her entire team truly care about their clients."She and her entire team truly care about their clients.- Chelsie L.
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"They will make things clear and simple for you."As a family member who has provided support for seven family members as they moved through the continuum of being healthy and independent to requiring end-of-life care, I can heartily recommend the Hill and Kinsella Law Firm. I was referred to April Hill by my own stellar estate planning attorney when I needed assistance with my parents in the Tampa Bay area. I couldn't be more pleased with the entire process for creating updated documents to the execution of those documents to follow-up counsel in applying the documents. If you are considering an attorney/firm to help you with this part of your life or are a family member who needs guidance, call Hill and Kinsella. They will make things clear and simple for you.- Tracy S.
Why Hire HKH Elder Law
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We Are Client Focused & Results Driven
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When You Hire Us, You Get The Whole Team
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You Can Expect Fast Response Times