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What is a Living Will?

A Living Will is a document in which you can instruct your physician to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining procedures if you become terminally ill, are in a coma, or are in a persistent vegetative state with no reasonable likelihood of recovering. A Living Will must specifically state your desire to forego life-sustaining care under these circumstances. State law describes the kind of form, which must be used in order to have a valid living will. A Living Will must be signed, dated, and witnessed. A lawyer is not needed to draw up a Living Will, although you may decide legal consultation is desirable.