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A living will and a health care directive are two different documents that both communicate your medical preferences if you’re unable to make decisions, but they serve slightly different purposes. A living will specifically outlines your wishes for end-of-life care, detailing treatments you do or do not want if you’re terminally ill or in a permanently unconscious state. A health care directive is broader, allowing you to designate someone to make medical decisions on your behalf in various situations, not just at the end of life.
A Living Will is a legal document that outlines your preferences and instructions regarding medical treatment and end-of-life decisions. Also known as an advance directive or healthcare directive, a Living Will becomes effective when a person is unable to communicate or make decisions due to incapacitation.
A Living Will includes the instructions on the use or withholding of life-sustaining treatments, such as artificial respiration, tube feeding, or other medical interventions. It allows individuals to express their wishes regarding the level of medical care they should receive in specific situations. A living will allows individuals to maintain control over their medical care, and ensure their values and wishes are respected. Making these difficult decisions in advance, relieves the burden of end-of-life care from your loved ones without any clear instructions on your wish. A living will can also minimize potential family disagreements or disputes over medical decisions.
While a living will is a useful tool, it does not include every possible medical complication that could arise. This is why it is necessary that you also appoint a healthcare proxy or a durable power of attorney as well for broader medical decisions.
An Appointment of Health Care Representative is a legal document that grants someone, known as the “health care representative” or “health care power of attorney” the authority to make health care and medical treatment decisions on behalf of the person creating the document.
This is crucial aspect of your comprehensive estate plan, and is often a preferred alternative to a Living Will. In a time of medical emergency, doctors will provide you with necessary medical treatment. However, at later stages, decisions about memory care, long term recovery and life-sustaining treatments may arise. Protect your family from difficult decisions and potential disagreements by communicating your wishes in advance to your designated HCPOA.
This appointment is less restrictive and controlling than a Conservatorship and can help prevent the need for the appointment of a Conservator later in life. Your HCPOA can only make medical treatment decisions when you are unable to. A Conservator of the Person is always in charge of medical decisions of the conserved. In essence, the HCPOA ensures that your healthcare preferences and treatment choices are honored when you are unable to communicate them yourself.
This position of HCPOA should be assigned to someone that truly knows you, your beliefs and your life wishes. The person with this authority may be asked by medical professionals to make life altering decisions regarding your care and treatment when you are unable to. This directive should be provided to your primary care physician, other specialists as needed, and the appointee to use if the medical need arises. For this reason, we provide our Estate Planning clients with multiple originals of this directive to provide to their medical providers as well as one for the appointee.
Some individuals chose to consider organ donation during their estate planning. This specific document allows you to express your wishes regarding organ and tissue donation at the time of death. While this is a very personal decision, you should communicate with your closest loved ones so they are aware and can ensure timely donation of vital organs. This intent may also be expressed in your driver’s license registry, or the Connecticut Donor Registry. If you choose to complete this form, a updated copy should be provided to your Primary Health Care Provider.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, is a federal law that was enacted in 1996 to protect your sensitive health information and data. A HIPAA Authorization document can be a part of your Estate Planning Healthcare Directives. It allows you to specify who can access your protected health information and medical records when you are unable to. This authorization can enable trusted individuals to assist you with coordinating medical treatment, making medical decisions and paying medical bills.
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The length of time required to see your case through to completion varies by case. During your initial consultation, we will review the expected time lines and potential recovery uniquely associated with your matter.
Usually, there is a statute of limitations on bringing a claim. This means you have a limited amount of time to notify the other party of your claim for damages and filing with the appropriate courts. For most wrongful death and catastrophic injury claims, you have less than two years from the date of loss to file a lawsuit in Connecticut. It is therefore advisable to speak with an attorney as soon as you become aware of a potential issue, from there we can help you formulate a plan of action.
Linda is the seasoned probate paralegal working together with clients helping them through probate administration following the loss of a loved one. Joining the team in 2023, she has brought 25+ years of legal experience to the firm with extensive proficiency in all administrative tasks, Probate Court knowledge, complex document preparation, and case management. Linda works exceedingly well the court’s staff and cultivates close relationships with new and existing clientele.
Linda is a long-time resident of the area and loves going for walks on the beach before work. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken, and their three grown children. She enjoys road trips, is an avid reader, collector of sea glass and is an amateur artist.
Ashley is the paralegal working directly with our attorneys and our clients. The attorneys at Doyon & White are grateful that our clients feel comfortable reaching out to Ashley for status updates or quick questions when the attorneys are unavailable. Ashley has a background in customer service with 10 years in the hotel industry and enjoys the client relation aspect of her job the most. Ashley is intimately familiar with the details of our client’s cases, processes and reviews all medical records, and communicates with attorneys and insurance adjusters.
Ashley moved to Branford, Conn from Northern California in 2018 and hasn’t looked back since. She enjoys the four seasons New England offers by playing golf and tennis in the summer and looks forward to snow days and skiing in the winter.
Attorney Doyon was born and raised in the hills of Northwest Connecticut. Trevor began his legal career serving as the clerk for several Superior Court Judges, many of whom are now members of the Connecticut Supreme and Appellate Courts.
Before forming Doyon & White Law Group, Trevor was the Managing Partner of a successful mid-size law-firm’s Litigation Department. Trevor has favorably authored and argued hundreds of motions and hearings in every Judicial District of Connecticut, in addition to winning numerous contested arbitrations and jury trial verdicts. Attorney Doyon is known and respected for his determined approach to unique and difficult legal issues by clients and judges alike.
Trevor has been honored as a Super Lawyer’s Rising Star for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, a selection made by colleagues and peers and reserved for less than five percent of lawyers in Connecticut. Attorney Doyon has also been nominated to the “National Trial Lawyer’s Top 100” list, was recognized by the American Institute for Lawyers as “Top 10 for Client Satisfaction,” and has been a featured guest speaker at Yale University’s Trial Law Camp.
When he’s not in Court, Trevor enjoys spending time with his wife Becky, their two daughters and their Great Dane “Gronk,” in addition to supporting anything UConn sports and coaching Connecticut’s only national level Sled Hockey team.
Attorney White was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut. After graduation from Fordham University, he worked in commercial finance in New York City before attending Quinnipiac University School of Law. Upon graduation he served as a clerk in the Superior Court in both the criminal and civil divisions.
Prior to forming Doyon & White Law Group, Attorney White practiced at a mid-size firm in Hamden, Connecticut where he mainly handled criminal defense, habeas cases, and civil litigation matters. Attorney White’s experience arguing before jury trials and court trials has led to winning favorable results for his clients on many occasions. Attorney White’s civil litigation experience includes personal injury representation, business litigation, and insurance coverage disputes.
Attorney White is a thoughtful and diligent advocate for all his clients and is respected for the rapport he builds and compassion he conveys.
Attorney White is a member of the New Haven County Bar Association and previously served as the President of the New Haven Young Lawyers Association.
Still a proud New Haven resident, Attorney White enjoys spending time in the city with his wife Sara, their two young children, and their pit bull, Ghost. He’s an avid UConn basketball fan and New York Yankees fan.
