Building An Estate Plan That Is Right For You

Creating A Health Care Directive That Reflects Your Values And Protects Your Wishes

A health care directive authorizes someone to make medical decisions on your behalf in situations where you are unable to make your medical wishes known (e.g., a stroke). This estate planning tool is a very important document. It allows someone to express his or her positions, interests and values regarding several significant issues, including end-of-life treatment.

Trojack & Schniederjan Law Office P.A. knows that health care directives need to be specific and clearly express your beliefs and concerns. Our West St. Paul firm has developed a health care directive that is specifically designed to reflect the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings on end-of-life issues. Our attorneys have extensive experience with drafting and revising these critical documents as well as other estate planning instruments.

As our client, we are here to help you take steps to protect your wishes in the event of incapacitation and secure your peace of mind regarding what the future holds.

The Call To Respect Life

As Roman Catholics, we are called to respect life in all its forms. Pope John Paul II exhorted listeners to commit to protecting life in his speech before the international congress on “life-sustaining treatments and vegetative state: scientific advances and ethical dilemmas” in March 2004.

“A man, even if seriously ill or disabled in the exercise of his highest functions, is and always will be a man, and he will never become a ‘vegetable’ or an ‘animal.’”

Creating a health care directive can help your loved ones avoid confusion about medical intervention if you are no longer able to advocate for yourself. Discussing your concerns today can help you minimize legal headaches and emotional turmoil tomorrow.

Preventing Unnecessary Tragedies And Legal Battles

The importance of having a health care directive is illustrated in the tragic case of Terri Shiavo. Terri’s heart stopped when she was 25 years old, and she never regained consciousness and was unable to make her medical wishes known. Her husband insisted that she did not want any life-sustaining measures, even food and water delivered through a feeding tube. She could still digest food naturally, but she used a feeding tube instead of a spoon. Her parents claimed that Terri was a devout Roman Catholic who would not wish to violate the church’s teachings on euthanasia by refusing nutrition and hydration. Sadly, Terri’s husband won the battle. Terri’s feeding tube was disconnected, which led to her death via dehydration.

If Terri had a health care directive instructing all involved that she did not wish to violate the church’s teachings and wished to be kept alive by artificial nutrition and hydration, much of the legal battle would have been avoided and Terri might still be here today.

Helping You Make Informed Decisions

In addition to creating health care directives for Roman Catholic clients, we also offer more general health care directives that do not conform to any particular religious belief. Trojack & Schniederjan Law Office P.A. has drafted more than 1,000 health care directives. We would be happy to assist you in making your health care wishes clear and incontestable.

You can rely on us to offer informed counsel that addresses your unique concerns and values. Whether you need assistance drafting or revising this important legal tool, we are ready to help.

Contact Us To Get Started

We look forward to talking to you about any estate planning concerns that you may have. Do not hesitate to call us at 651-461-3952 or send us an email. We will respond to your messages promptly because we know that your questions are urgent.