Understanding Health Care Proxies

We have all seen the gut-wrenching stories in the news about people on life support and the family conflicts that ensue when the patient has not placed his or her wishes in writing.

A health care proxy is a document that gives power to another person to make medical decisions for a patient who is determined by a doctor to be incapable of making medical decisions. People who have suffered a severe stroke, serious brain damage or who are in a coma often do not have the capacity to communicate their wishes to their doctor.

A health care proxy confirms the patient’s wishes regarding health care. It also identifies the person who can make critical medical decisions in the event the patient becomes medically incapacitated.

A health care proxy does not empower a person to make medical decisions for a patient who is conscious and capable of making his or her own decisions. A health care proxy only allows the agent chosen by the patient to make medical decisions in the event that a doctor determines that the patient is incapable of making decisions.

For Help With A Living Will Or Health Care Proxy, Contact Us

At Connors and Sullivan Attorneys at Law, PLLC, we are pleased to provide a wide range of elder law services, including health care proxies. Our law offices are located in Brooklyn, Queens and midtown Manhattan, and we are pleased to assist clients throughout New York City’s five boroughs. To schedule a complimentary initial consultation at our Brooklyn law office, call 718-414-6209 or contact us by email.