School is out for summer!  If you are 18 or older, make it a priority this summer to meet with one of the attorneys at Waldron & Schneider about getting a Medical Power of Attorney, Durable Power of Attorney and HIPAA Authorization. 

Once you turn 18, you are legally an adult, so your parents can no longer receive information from your doctors, make medical decisions for you, schedule medical appointments or manage your finances without your permission.  This freedom is great unless a situation arises where you need someone to speak to a medical professional about your health, make your medical decisions or step in as your agent. 

Here is an overview of the documents that are necessary for every adult to have in place:

1. Medical Power of Attorney. A Medical Power of Attorney allows you to appoint an agent to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make the decisions yourself.   For example, if you are seriously ill or unconscious and unable to make your own medical decisions, this document will give your parents or other desired agent the ability to make your medical decisions for you.   
2. HIPAA Authorization. A HIPAA Authorization allows you to designate the people to whom your medical information may be released.  Here is an example of the importance of this document: If you are in an accident and brought to an emergency room, your family may not be able to receive protected medical information about you, such as whether you are in the hospital and how you are doing, without a HIPAA Authorization listing them as an authorized person to receive such information.   
3. Durable Power of Attorney. A Durable Power of Attorney allows you to give an agent full power and authority to act in your place and perform any act you could perform if you were personally present.  For example, if your signature is needed on a document in Houston, but you live out of town, your agent can sign on your behalf.  Also, your agent can help you manage your finances and, if needed, they can access your funds to pay your bills if you are incapacitated or otherwise unable to pay the bills yourself. 

This is just a general overview, so if you are interested in learning more about the importance and uses of these documents, please call to schedule an appointment with one of the attorneys at Waldron & Schneider.  We can work with you to get these documents drafted and executed before the new school year begins!        

If you have questions regarding either the Certificate of Standing or what requirements a business has with respect to US Labor Laws, the attorneys at Waldron & Schneider are ready to help.

The legal information in this blog entry is not intended to be a substitute for seeking personalized legal advice from an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.  Further, nothing contained in this article is intended to create an attorney-client relationship with any reader.  This article and website are made available by Waldron & Schneider for educational purposes only and to give basic information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this website you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and Waldron & Schneider. The article and website should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. For more information or questions you can contact us and one of our attorneys will be in touch soon.