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With a medical power of attorney, you don’t have to worry about what will happen if you are incapacitated due to injury or illness. You may not be able to communicate with your medical team, but you can pick an agent who will. They help to make these healthcare decisions on your behalf.

Many people do not have a medical power of attorney – or an estate plan at all – because they think that the odds they will need it soon are rather low. If their health starts to deteriorate, they assume they can make plans at that time. As long as they feel relatively young and healthy, they don’t get the paperwork in place.

An unexpected passing

But the reality is that people pass away unexpectedly every single day. Many people also suffer injuries that leave them incapacitated. In both of these situations, they may not be able to talk to their medical team. Here are just a few examples of how it could happen:

• Over 6,000 people suffer injuries in car accidents every day.
• Roughly 40,000 people pass away after these accidents every year.
• More than 805,000 Americans suffer heart attacks annually. These are the first such events for around 605,000 of them.
• Over 795,000 Americans suffer from strokes each year. These events are fatal for around 159,000 people, though the rest survive with various injuries.

This helps to show why it’s so important to get a power of attorney in place in advance. The document gives you peace of mind and creates a more secure future for your family. You may never need it, but it’s important to have it in place in case you do. Carefully consider the legal steps you’ll need to take as you make your estate plan.