Living Will Attorney in Jacksonville

Plan Your Medical Wishes With Guidance You Can Rely On

Thinking about future medical decisions is not easy, but putting clear instructions in place can bring real peace of mind. A living will allows you to state what kind of life-sustaining treatment you do or do not want if you cannot speak for yourself. When you work with Edwards & Edwards, P.A., you have a legal team that helps you understand your options and put those wishes in writing in a way that fits Florida law.

Our attorneys have more than 65 years of combined legal experience, and we use that experience to guide individuals and families through important planning decisions. As a sister-owned, family-operated law firm based here in Jacksonville, we understand how personal these conversations are. We take time to listen, answer your questions, and create living will documents that reflect what matters most to you.

If you are considering a living will before surgery, after a diagnosis, or simply because you want to plan, we are here to help you take a thoughtful next step.

Don’t wait to address your legal needs—connect with a skilled living will lawyer in Jacksonville. Call (904) 454-4881 or get in touch with us to book your consultation.

Why Work With Our Living Will Lawyers In Jacksonville

Choosing someone to help you with a living will is not just a paperwork decision. You are trusting a legal team with some of the most personal choices you will ever make. At Edwards & Edwards, P.A., we draw on decades of combined experience to help you think through real-life scenarios, not just forms and signatures.

Our firm is sister-owned and family-operated, with all female leadership that has built a collaborative and nurturing environment. Clients often appreciate sitting down with a team that feels approachable and steady when the topic itself can feel heavy. We know that talking about end-of-life care, serious illness, and family dynamics can be uncomfortable, so we move at your pace and explain each option in plain language.

We also take a team-based approach to planning. When you meet with us, you are not relying on only one perspective. Our attorneys discuss how your living will interacts with your broader estate plan, your finances, and any business or property concerns you may have. This cross-practice view is possible because our firm handles estate planning, business law, real estate, personal injury, and criminal defense. It allows us to see issues that might be missed by a document-only provider.

We understand that health concerns do not always fit into business hours. When possible, we offer same-day and after-hours appointments to clients who are facing time-sensitive situations, such as upcoming procedures or recent changes in health. Throughout the process, we focus on clear communication. You know what we are working on, what we need from you, and how each decision will be reflected in your documents.

What A Living Will Does For You and Your Family

A living will is a written statement of your wishes regarding certain medical treatments if you become unable to communicate and are in a specific serious medical condition, such as a terminal illness or end-stage condition. In Florida, this document tells your doctors and your loved ones what kind of life-prolonging procedures you want to receive or to withhold. It can address issues such as artificial nutrition, hydration, and the use of machines that support breathing or heartbeat.

Many people confuse a living will with a health care surrogate designation or a durable power of attorney. A living will expresses your treatment choices in advance. A health care surrogate designation gives someone authority to make medical decisions for you when you cannot, based on your wishes and the medical information at the time. A durable power of attorney covers financial and other legal decisions. Most adults benefit from having each of these documents working together, not just relying on one.

Putting your preferences in a living will can reduce the emotional burden on your family. Without clear instructions, relatives may struggle to guess what you would want, and they may not agree with each other. That can lead to guilt, conflict, and delays in care. With a written plan, your loved ones can focus on supporting you, instead of arguing over choices in a hospital corridor.

We help clients think through common scenarios in practical terms. Some people feel strongly about receiving every possible treatment, while others want to avoid certain measures if doctors agree that recovery is unlikely. We do not tell you what to choose. Our role is to explain how the options work, ask the right questions, and turn your personal values into clear, legally recognized instructions.

Our Step-by-Step Process For Creating Your Living Will

When you know what to expect, it is easier to move forward. Our process for creating a living will is designed to be clear, organized, and respectful of your time and emotional energy. We walk with you from the first conversation through the moment you sign your documents, and we remain available when you have questions later.

Initial Conversation and Document Review

The first step is an initial consultation. During this meeting, we listen to your goals, your health concerns, and your family situation. We may ask about any current diagnoses, upcoming procedures, and the people you trust to make decisions if you cannot. If you already have documents, even if they were created online or in another state, we review them with you and explain how they may work under Florida law.

Next, our attorneys consider how a new or updated living will should fit within your overall planning. Because we look at both legal and financial angles, we consider how your medical wishes interact with your estate plan, long-term care plans, and other arrangements. Our goal is to help you avoid contradictions, such as one document naming a decision maker whose role is limited by another document.

Drafting, Review, and Signing

We then prepare draft documents tailored to your situation. These are not one-size-fits-all forms. They reflect the medical treatments you do or do not want under certain conditions, the individuals you wish to involve, and any specific instructions you want your doctors and family to see. During a review meeting, we go through each section with you. We invite questions and adjust language so that you are comfortable that the document says what you mean.

Once you are satisfied with the content, we arrange the signing in compliance with Florida requirements, which typically involve witnesses and other formalities. We also talk with you about where to store your living will, who should receive copies, and how to communicate its existence to your health care providers. After everything is signed, we encourage clients to check back with us when life changes occur, so that we can discuss whether updates would be helpful.

Coordinating Your Living Will With The Rest Of Your Estate Plan

A living will is one important piece of a larger plan, and it works best when it fits smoothly with your other documents. At Edwards & Edwards, P.A., we look at your medical planning in the context of your overall estate and legal picture, not in isolation. This helps reduce the risk of confusion and ensures that the people you trust have clear guidance.

We often see situations where a person has a living will, a health care surrogate designation, a durable power of attorney, and a last will or trust. If these documents were created at different times or by different providers, they may not be aligned. Someone might be named as a surrogate in one document but not mentioned elsewhere, or two people might be assigned overlapping roles that create friction. Our attorneys review these arrangements and discuss with you whether adjustments would make decision-making smoother when it matters most.

Because our firm also handles business law, real estate, and other matters, we understand how your medical planning can affect other parts of your life. For example, a business owner may want to coordinate who manages the company during a medical crisis with the person who has the authority to manage medical decisions. Someone who owns multiple properties may need planning that considers how long-term care or medical bills could affect family assets. Our holistic approach allows us to connect these dots.

Blended families, out-of-state children, and complex financial structures add more layers to the discussion. We help you think about who is best positioned to carry out your wishes, how to communicate expectations to those individuals, and how to avoid placing unnecessary strain on any one person. The result is a living will and related documents that work together to protect both your health preferences and your broader goals for your family and estate.

Local Insight For Florida Living Wills

Florida has its own statutes that govern living wills and other advance directives, and documents designed for another state may not fully address what Florida health care providers look for. Working with a local team helps you create instructions that are more likely to be understood and followed in the settings where you will receive care.

Here in Jacksonville, many residents receive treatment at large hospital systems as well as smaller clinics and specialty practices across the region. When we talk through your living will, we consider how your instructions will be read in an emergency room, in an intensive care unit, or during a long-term hospital stay. Clear language that is consistent with Florida standards can make it easier for doctors and staff to act in line with your wishes.

Our familiarity with how families in this area live and work also shapes our guidance. It is common for clients here to have adult children in other counties or states, elderly parents who live nearby, or multiple generations sharing responsibilities. We help you think through who can realistically be present during a medical crisis and how to name decision makers in a way that reflects those realities.

Being based in Jacksonville also makes it easier for us to meet with you in person when that is your preference. Whether you are just starting to consider a living will or you want to review documents you created years ago, you can sit down with attorneys who understand both Florida law and the local context in which your plan will operate.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a living will and a health care surrogate?

A living will is a written statement of your wishes regarding certain medical treatments if you are in a serious condition and cannot communicate, while a health care surrogate designation names a person to make medical decisions for you when you cannot. Both are important, and they work together. The living will guides doctors and your surrogate about specific treatments you do or do not want, and the surrogate can address decisions that your document does not cover or that require real-time judgment. Our attorneys explain how each document works under Florida law and help you decide how to use them as part of a coordinated plan.

Do I need a living will if I am still healthy?

Many people choose to create a living will while they are still healthy. Serious accidents or sudden illnesses can occur without warning, and having your wishes in place before something happens can spare your family from difficult guesswork. Creating a living will while you are healthy also gives you more time to think through your choices and discuss them with loved ones. Our team often works with clients who are planning, not only those who are already facing a medical crisis.

How long does it take your team to prepare a living will?

The time it takes to prepare a living will depends on your situation, but the process is usually straightforward once we have the information we need. After an initial consultation, many clients can move from discussion to review of draft documents within a relatively short period, especially if they respond promptly to our follow-up questions. If you are facing an upcoming procedure or other time-sensitive event, we encourage you to let us know so that we can talk about scheduling options, including same-day or after-hours appointments when available. Our goal is to create documents carefully while also respecting your timing needs.

Should my family be involved when I create my living will?

Whether to involve family members in the planning process is your choice. Many clients find it helpful to include a spouse, adult child, or trusted friend in some conversations, especially if that person may be named as a surrogate or asked to help in a crisis. Involving them can give everyone a shared understanding of your wishes and reduce surprises later. However, some people prefer to meet with us alone at first and bring family in after they feel more comfortable with their decisions. We respect your preferences and can offer suggestions about how and when to talk with your loved ones.

Can you review a living will I created online or years ago?

We can review an existing living will with you, whether it was created through an online service or drafted many years ago. During that review, we look at how the document fits with current Florida law, how clearly it expresses your wishes, and how it interacts with any other planning you have in place. Sometimes only small updates are needed, and in other cases, clients decide to replace older documents with a new, more comprehensive set of instructions. Our attorneys explain your options so you can decide how to move forward.

How often should I update my living will?

No fixed schedule applies to everyone, but it is wise to revisit your living will after major life events or significant changes in health. Examples include marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, the death of someone named in your documents, or a new diagnosis that changes your outlook on medical care. Even without major changes, some clients like to review their documents every few years to confirm that their choices still reflect their values. We are available to talk through updates and help you decide when revisions would be helpful.

What happens if I do not have a living will in place?

If you do not have a living will, medical decisions in serious situations are typically made based on Florida law, hospital policies, and the judgment of your treating physicians, often with input from your closest relatives. Without written guidance from you, your family may struggle to agree on what you would have wanted, and doctors may have less clear direction. A living will cannot guarantee that every situation will unfold exactly as planned, but it gives your medical team and your loved ones a strong, legally recognized statement of your preferences. That clarity can reduce stress and help ensure that your voice is heard even when you cannot speak.

Talk With Our Team About Your Living Will

Putting a living will in place is a meaningful step toward protecting both your wishes and your family. With guidance from our attorneys, you can create Florida-compliant documents that reflect your values, coordinate with your broader estate plan, and give your loved ones clear direction if a difficult time comes.

At Edwards & Edwards, P.A., you work with a Jacksonville-based, sister-owned, family-operated firm that brings more than 65 years of combined legal experience to your planning. We offer a holistic, team-based approach, compassionate conversations, and flexible scheduling that can include same-day or after-hours consultations when appropriate. You do not have to sort through these decisions alone. If you want to work with a living will lawyer Jacksonville residents can turn to for thoughtful guidance, our team is ready to talk with our team.

To talk with an attorney about your living will, call (904) 454-4881 now.