FORT WALTON BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 13, 2019 / With graduation just around the corner and millions of Americans turning 18, Gresham Foster with ASG Legal in Fort Walton Beach, Florida has some advice for these soon to be adults. Foster recommends that anyone who is soon to turn 18 should seriously consider signing a Durable Power of Attorney.
"If someone is injured in an accident and is no longer able to make decisions for themselves, they need to provide a release for someone else to make those decisions," says Foster.
Forbes recently published an article that claims that every year nearly a quarter of a million Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 are hospitalized for injuries sustained in accidents. Many of these injured young people are not able to make their own medical decisions, which leaves their parents often to take their case to court in order to gain approval to act on the behalf of the injured. Those interested in learning more can read more in this article from Forbes.
"The gist is this," says Foster. "Young people are injured in an accident and they may become disabled. Anyone who is turning 18 or has turned 18 recently needs to understand that because they are officially declared as an adult when they turn 18, their parents do not automatically have control over their medical care. This means that the parents often have to gain court approval to get the care that the patient needs, and this is often a lengthy process."
Foster says that in order for anyone else to make decisions for those who have turned 18, if they are unable to make their own decisions, a Durable Power of Attorney and a Health Care Directive need to be in place. He says that these are simple forms that need to be completed by the recently turned adult and the forms are used by the parents or another adult who will be acting on the behalf of the injured.
Foster says that these two forms will allow whomever the newly turned adult elects, which is typically the parents, to make financial and health care decisions for them, access any health records, deal with anyone at their school, and access their bank accounts if necessary. Without these documents, their parents will not have access. Those who are interested in learning more about this process and the benefits that it offers can contact Gresham Foster.
The attorney states that without these signed and notarized documents, those who have recently turned 18 could face difficulties in obtaining certain needed medical procedures. At the very least, he states that parents or someone else that the adult deems worthy will have the ability to access the adult's bank accounts to make car payments, pay rent and even pay for needed medical care. The attorney says that anyone who is officially deemed as an adult who does not have these documents in place will find it difficult, or their family will find it difficult, to deal with certain legal situations.
Foster says that this is important for those who are turning 18 particularly. Those married will have a spouse that is legally allowed to make certain financial and medical decisions. Those who are not married need these forms in order to allow someone else to make these decisions for them if and when the time comes that they are not able to make them for themselves. Foster says that the courts are filled with families every year that are fighting to make the simplest medical decisions for their children because those children failed to realize the importance of having a Durable Power of Attorney on hand.
Parents of, and those who are turning 18 soon, can learn more about this process by contacting Gresham Foster. The attorney is located in Fort Walton Beach and offers legal representation for these and other needs. Foster states that those in need of these documents can contact him at Anchors Smith Grimsley, PLC, to schedule an appointment, or visit the firm online to learn more.
For more information about ASG - Gresham Foster, contact the company here:
ASG - Gresham Foster
Gresham Foster
(850) 863-4064
[email protected]
909 Mar Walt Drive, Suite 1014
Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32547
SOURCE: ASG - Gresham Foster