You need 3 pieces of paper in Alabama – once you become an adult.

I practice personal injury law but write these legal documents for people in and around Mobile and Baldwin Counties because they are just that important.

Here is why – if you don’t have them, the state of Alabama will decide what happens to your medical care and what you own. Really, do you want the state legislature to determine those things?

Here we go:

Will

This tells what happens to your stuff once you are gone. Think you don’t have anything, so why bother? I have seen cousins come to blows over a black-and-white TV. Left to the state of Alabama, people you don’t even know could end up with your cash and property, while your loved ones may receive little or nothing. Don’t think that if you leave a note on the back of a family picture saying this goes to Aunt Sue that she will get it.

Power Of Attorney for Finance and Healthcare 

This spells out who gets to make decisions about your money and medical treatment when you no longer can. I have heard of people losing their car because the loan could not be paid despite there being money in the bank — all because no one could access the funds. The healthcare portion is especially important in emergencies. I see this need all the time after a traffic accident when selecting providers, approving procedures, and accessing medical records is so important.

Living Will

This outlines your wishes for medical treatment if you become terminally ill or permanently unconscious. You do not want to force your family members to make those decisions. Through this document, tell your family and the doctors treating you what you want done.

If you need these vital documents prepared, give me a call (251) 666-1212. I’ll explain what together we need to do.

If you or a loved one is injured in a personal injury accident, you can talk to us at the law firm of Steele Ritchie for free. We genuinely want to help. We are local attorneys with decades of experience helping people, especially in the southwest Mobile area.

Give us a call at (251) 666-1212. We are proud to be called the “personal injury lawyers near me” by many people here in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.



Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer