Runyon Law Office, PLLC

  • Home
  • Attorney Profile
  • Areas of Practice
  • Staff
  • Food for Thought
    • Suggestions for Senior Dilemmas - 03/03/2020
    • SECURE in the Knowledge - 02/06/2020
    • Holiday Semi-Legal Offerings 12/19/2019
    • From One State to Another - 11/20/2019
    • What to Do with Those Documents - 06/05/2019
  • Food for Thought Archive
  • Your Thoughts
  • Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Our Town
  • Vital Signs Material
  • ABA pro bono letter

Travel Prepared by Phil Runyon

9/27/2013

 

Travel Prepared

With colder weather on the horizon now, many of you are probably firming up plans to seek some sun for at least a portion of our upcoming season of darkness. 

So let's say you have a condo in the Keys or you're motoring the Winnebago to Phoenix for a month or so.  One of the first things that should occur to you is that you're going to be in a different state.  That should set off an alarm that you're going to places with different local laws about things like health care directives.  In fact, nearly all 50 states have their unique takes on what goes into those documents, what can be done with them, and how they must be executed.  Still, if presented with New Hampshire's version, doctors and hospitals in most other jurisdictions will honor it as much as possible - "full faith and credit" is what the Founders called it.
 
What that means is if you're going to be somewhere out of New Hampshire for more than a hopeful weekend at Foxwoods, it's a good idea to take a copy of your Granite State directive with you.  If you have a car accident on the Tamiami Trail or your heart starts palpitating on the rim of the Grand Canyon, your agent - probably your traveling companion - will have the necessary authority in hand to make sure you get the emergency help you may need.  And lest there be any doubt, a spouse doesn't have the right to make health care decisions for you just by virtue of that relationship; you need the official designating document. 

This also suggests that if you're spending a lot of time somewhere else, it may be worth tracking down one of the local directives or proxies or whatever they call them there.  You may not even need a lawyer, because many states' forms are available online these days.  Even many hospitals have them printed up with blanks to fill in - MCH does.  Then once you've got them executed, you'll be stress-free, as well as warmer than the rest of us.  Travel safely.

Posted 09/27/2013

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    April 2019
    February 2019
    July 2018
    March 2018
    October 2017
    July 2017
    October 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    Categories

    All
    Asset Protection
    Estate Planning
    Miscellany
    Probate
    Real Estate
    Tax Planning

Copyright ©  2012-2021 Runyon Law Office, PLLC