BEGINNING JULY 1, 2005, ALL LIVING WILL, DURABLE POWERS OF ATTORNEY (DPOA) AND ORGAN DONATION DESIGNATION FORMS WILL BE REPLACED BY THE WYOMING ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVEFORM.
IF YOU EXECUTED THESE DOCUMENTS BEFORE JULY 1, 2005, THEY ARE STILL VALID.BUT, TO AVOID COMPLICATIONS IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONSIDER REPLACING THEM WITH THE WYOMING ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVEFORM.
REMEMBER: IF YOU CHOOSE TO REPLACE A LIVING WILL, DPOA OR ORGAN DONATION DESIGNATION DOCUMENT WITH THE WYOMING ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE, PLEASE DESTROY THE OUT DATED MATERIAL TO AVOID CONFUSION.
What if I haven't made any decisions yet?
Maybe you have not thought about what you want if you become sick.
Maybe you've thought about it, but haven't written it down.
If either of these is true, Wyoming Law will make choices for you.
Here are some things to think about:
As long as you can make yourself understood, you'll be able to call the shots
Sometimes sick people are unable to talk or write. Sometimes they have not signed a Wyoming Advance Health Care Directive, living will and/or DPOA.
If this is the case, the law says that your family may decide for you.
If you are in a coma which will result in death, your family will decide.
If you are so ill that you will soon die, they will decide.
What If I Am Not Sick Enough To Die?
It may be the case that you are not going to die but cannot make your wishes known.
In this case your family may still be able to choose for you. Keep these things in mind:
Sometimes family members have a hard time agreeing on what to do.
They may disagree with your doctors.
If this happens, your treatment could be delayed.
This may be a good reason for signing a Wyoming Advance Health Care Directive form.
If people disagree, your hospital, nursing home or hospice may ask the court to give you a guardian.
This person will make your choices for you.
Getting a guardian can cost a lot of money.
This may also be a good reason for signing the Wyoming Advance Health Care Directive form.
In any case, your needs would best be served by having a Wyoming Advance Health Care Directive form.
Last Reviewed On: 04/08/04
Using Wyoming LawHelp (Please Read)
Information, Not Legal Advice.
Everybody's problems are unique. This website cannot tell you how your case will be decided.
This website can be used to help you learn the law. It can help you understand your rights. It can assist you in getting the help you need.
If you need more help than this website can give on your specific problem, you should contact a lawyer. If you are low-income and wish to apply for an attorney through Wyoming Legal Services, please click here.
Whether you are low-income or not, if you have questions about your case or are uncertain in any way, it is a good idea to talk to a lawyer before taking legal action.
Hiring a Lawyer.
Hiring a lawyer is a big deal. Be sure to shop around.
Before hiring a lawyer, you should ask a lot of questions.
Hire a lawyer you feel you can trust.
This website gives information on what to look for in a lawyer. This web site is not advertising for any particular lawyer.
E-mail.
Using this website or sending an e-mail to Wyoming LawHelp does not mean that Wyoming LawHelp is your lawyer.
It is important to understand that if you email WLWP and put facts about your case in the email that WLWP will keep your information confidential. It is also important to understand that what you put in your email may not be confidential if you go to litigation on your legal problem. This means that the information you provide could be used against you in court. This is not a good thing! Think twice about what you write in an email! If you have any concerns at all, call our offices or talk to a lawyer!
For all these reasons, you may wish to use the telephone or talk in person when looking for a lawyer.
Deadlines
If you are handling your own case or do not yet have a lawyer, it is very important that you not miss deadlines! You may lose your legal rights if you do not take action right away.
This means getting a lawyer right away if that is what you want.
If you don't have a lawyer call the clerk of court to find out what deadlines apply to you.
Getting It Right
Wyoming LawHelp is offered as public service. We try to make the information correct as of the date of the materials.
Sometimes the laws change. We cannot promise that this information is always up-to-date and correct, but we are doing our best to give you the best information we can.
Links
Sometimes we link to legal information given by other websites.
We cannot say with absolute certainty that these other links have gotten in right.
We do not sponsor these other links or use any trade name, trademark, logo, legal or official seal used at these links.
The Wyoming LawHelp is offered as a public service by Wyoming Legal
Services.
Wyoming Legal Services is a statewide program that works to improve
access to justice for Wyoming citizens. Wyoming Legal Services
provides free legal services, including legal analysis, representation,
information and education to low-income persons. We also
provide free advice & referral services to Wyoming senior citizens.
The work of Wyoming Legal Services relies on grantors and private
donations. All donations are tax deductible.
The Wyoming LawHelp Stakeholder Advisory Committee includes (in
alphabetical order): Balwin & Crocker, PC, Centros de Recursos Latinos
(Latino Resource Center), The Legal Services Clinic (University of
Wyoming), The Self-Help Center, The Students` Attorney Office
(University of Wyoming), The Wyoming Guardianship Corporation, Wyoming
Legal Services, The Wyoming State Bar Foundation and The Wyoming Supreme
Court
