David C. Franklin
Meier & Franklin Law, PLLC
3500 Westgate Drive, Suite 603
Durham, NC 27707
Phone: 919-246-5842
Toll Free: 1-866-654-5117
Fax: 919-433-0295
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Living Wills

Declaration of a Desire For a Natural Death (commonly called a "living will"). The living will states what your desires are for yourself if your condition is terminal and you are unable to communicate, such as when you are comatose or vegetative. You will state whether you want extraordinary care withheld or whether you want both extraordinary care and nutrition and hydration withheld. If this document is not executed then all means will be used to keep you alive - ordinary and extraordinary, including the administration of nutrition and hydration. The Declaration of a Desire For a Natural Death is used in conjunction with the HCPOA to make medical decisions on your behalf. The Florida case of Terri Schiavo may come to mind in thinking about this matter, which is a case in which Ms Schiavo had severe brain damage and became "vegetative." She did not have a living will and thus her husband could not disconnect her life support because her parents intervened and wanted to keep her alive, despite her condition. This dispute cost a lot of money and dragged on for years.

At the office of David C. Franklin, our staff is pleased to offer legal assistance to clients in
Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Cary, Hillsborough, Roxboro and Morrisville, as well as to residents of Durham County, Orange County and Wake County, North Carolina.