By Revis, Hervas & Goldberg P.A.
A Living Will is an integral part of an estate plan, even though it has nothing to do with distributing assets or probate. Medical science has advanced so far that doctors sometimes can keep people alive with the help of machines, even though their bodies and minds will never regain conscious function. Some of our clients have expressed to us that they would prefer to die as nature intended, rather than to be artificially kept alive in a vegetative state.
Florida law allows you to give advance instruction as to how you wish to be treated should you ever enter a terminal vegetative state. It is a decision you can make now, but which would take effect only in those circumstances. The decision to make a Living Will is a very serious one and should not to be taken lightly. Those who chose to execute a Living Will do so in order to reduce suffering and to spare their families.
Please note that a Living Will is an optional document and is not required.