Serious illness or an unexpected accident can leave you unable to make or communicate medical decisions. Without clear medical directives, your family may be left guessing, and doctors must rely on default rules under Virginia law. Care can become stressful at the very moment when your loved ones need clarity.
At Johnson, Gasink & Baxter, LLP, we help people in Richmond and across Virginia put their medical wishes in writing in a way that is both legally sound and easy to understand. Our attorneys focus on estate planning and probate, and our team has more than half a century of combined experience guiding families through these decisions.
We believe you should not need a legal background to make thoughtful choices about your health care. Our goal is to explain options in plain language, listen carefully to what matters to you, and create documents that reflect your values and protect the people you love.
Do you need guidance from a Richmond Medical Directives Attorney to put your healthcare wishes in writing? Call Johnson, Gasink & Baxter, LLP today at (888) 487-9899 or contact us online and get clear, legally sound direction!
Why Thoughtful Medical Directives Matter
Many families first learn about medical directives when a relative is already in the hospital and unable to speak. In that moment, loved ones can feel pressure to agree on life support, resuscitation, or other treatments without knowing what the patient would have wanted. Conflicts can arise, and even close families can feel strained for years afterward.
Virginia law provides a basic framework for who may make decisions if there is no written guidance. However, those default rules may not match your preferences or the person you trust most. A carefully prepared advance medical directive gives doctors clear instructions and names a decision-maker of your choosing, so the right voice is heard.
Hospitals and medical providers in and around Richmond routinely look to Virginia advance medical directives when a patient cannot communicate. When your documents are current and clear, your healthcare team has concrete guidance, and your family has the comfort of knowing they are following your wishes rather than guessing under stress.
With well-crafted documents, you can:
Give medical professionals clear instructions about treatments you would accept or decline.
Appoint a trusted healthcare agent to speak for you if you cannot.
Reduce the risk of family disagreement at the bedside.
Coordinate your medical wishes with the rest of your Virginia estate plan.
We work to translate your values into practical guidance that doctors and family members can follow, so you can focus on living your life with greater peace of mind.
Our Approach to Virginia Medical Directives
When you meet with our team, the conversation starts with you, not with forms. We ask about your health, your family relationships, and your concerns about medical care. Many clients have questions about life support, pain management, or particular procedures, and we take the time to discuss those in everyday terms.
Medical directives rarely stand alone. They typically work together with a healthcare power of attorney, financial powers of attorney, wills, and trusts. Because our practice at Johnson, Gasink & Baxter, LLP centers on estate planning and probate across Virginia, we are able to design your medical documents so they fit smoothly into your broader plan.
Clarity is central to how we work. We avoid legal jargon, explain Virginia requirements in simple language, and welcome questions at every step. Our attorneys have received recognition from Super Lawyers and hold an Avvo Rating of 10.0 in Estate Planning. These independent acknowledgments reflect years of helping individuals and families plan for incapacity and end-of-life decisions in a thoughtful way.
From our Richmond office and other locations across the Commonwealth, we meet with clients in person and virtually, depending on what works best. Whether your estate is modest or complex, our goal is the same, to provide steady guidance so your documents truly match your wishes.
Step-by-Step Medical Directive Planning
Many people delay medical directive planning because they imagine it will be complicated. In practice, the process can be straightforward when it is organized into clear steps. We guide you through each stage so you always know what comes next and why it matters.
Our work together usually begins with an initial consultation, where we listen to your goals and answer questions about Virginia advance medical directives, living wills, and healthcare powers of attorney. We then gather information about your health history, your preferred decision-makers, and any specific concerns you have about treatment or quality of life.
Using that information, our attorneys draft documents tailored to your situation. We review them with you in plain language, explaining what each paragraph does and confirming that your directions are accurately captured. Once you are comfortable, we help you complete signing and witnessing in line with Virginia law, whether you meet at our Richmond office or another convenient location.
Your planning process with our firm typically includes:
An initial conversation focused on your goals and questions.
Discussion about healthcare agents and backup decision-makers.
Preparation of draft medical directives and related documents.
Review and refinement in clear, simple terms.
Proper execution and guidance on sharing documents with family and doctors.
Throughout, we strive to be transparent about our work and our billing, so you understand how your medical directive planning fits within your overall estate planning engagement.
Keeping Your Directives Up to Date
Medical wishes and family circumstances rarely stay the same for a lifetime. A new diagnosis, a change in marriage, the death of a loved one, or a move within Virginia can all affect who you want to speak for you and what care you would choose. Documents that were once accurate can become outdated.
We encourage clients to review their medical directives periodically, and especially after major life events. Our attorneys can help you decide when updates are appropriate and what changes are needed. Often, even small adjustments, such as naming a new backup agent, can make a meaningful difference for your family.
To support that ongoing process, Johnson, Gasink & Baxter, LLP offers our TrustGuard service. This service provides a structured way to keep your estate planning documents, including medical directives, aligned with your current wishes as your life evolves. With TrustGuard, we check in regarding changes in your health, family, or the law and discuss whether your plan should be revised.
Many Virginia families choose to maintain a long-term relationship with our firm for exactly this reason. They value knowing that someone familiar with their history and goals is available to help them keep their medical directives and related planning current and effective.
Contact Our Richmond Medical Directives Lawyer Today
Putting thoughtful medical directives in place is one of the most practical gifts you can give your family. Clear instructions and a trusted decision-maker reduce uncertainty in difficult moments and help ensure that your care reflects your values, not just default rules.
At Johnson, Gasink & Baxter, LLP, we provide calm, clear guidance for individuals and families in Richmond and across Virginia who want to plan ahead. Our attorneys draw on decades of estate planning experience, a focus on plain-language communication, and ongoing support through services such as TrustGuard.
A medical directive in Virginia, often called an advance medical directive, is a written document where you state your healthcare wishes and appoint someone to make decisions if you cannot. It guides your doctors and family so they can follow your preferences rather than guess under stress.
Do I need a lawyer for medical directives?
You are not required to use a lawyer, but many people choose to. We help ensure your documents comply with Virginia law, work with your other estate planning documents, and clearly reflect your wishes. That guidance reduces the risk of confusion for your family and your medical team.
How do medical directives fit with my will?
Your will controls what happens to your property after you pass away. Medical directives and healthcare powers of attorney apply while you are living but unable to communicate. We design these documents together so they support one another and form a complete Virginia estate plan.
How often should I update my medical directives?
We suggest reviewing your medical directives every few years and after major life events, such as marriage, divorce, a new diagnosis, or a change in your chosen healthcare agent. Through our TrustGuard service, we help clients across Virginia keep their documents aligned with their current wishes.
Can we meet at your Richmond office?
Yes, we meet with clients at our Richmond office as well as at our other Virginia locations and by appointment in additional offices. We also offer virtual meetings when appropriate. During your first conversation, we focus on understanding your goals so we can recommend a planning approach that fits you.
Straight-forward and relatable legal counsel that you can understand from start to finish.
Your Legacy, Handled with Care
We offer confidential consultations and can discuss your estate plan in full.
Continuous Care for Your Estate Plan
Our TrustGuard™ service allows you to make and maintain up-to-date estate plans.
50+ Years of Legal Insight, On Your Side
We use more than a half-century combined experience to your benefit.
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Very knowledgeable and happy to answer all of our questions. Made the trust planning process very easy for us and very friendly.
D.T.
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We had felt a need to overhaul our existng estate plan and, based on very favorable published reviews, we switched over to Johnson, Gasink & Baxter. The initial presentation and thoroughness was very clear and we felt very comfortable with Jeremy Johnson. He took pains to ensure we understood the details while, at the same time, showing understanding and empathy with our personal family situation. Jeremy's follow up review of the finished plan followed quickly and, as before was conducted in a friendly and cordial manner. We have confidence in Jeremy's support of us in the future.
M. L.
“Mr. Baxter was both amiable and professional”
Our very trusted financial advisor gave us the name of this firm when we asked for estate planning help. Mr. Baxter was both amiable and professional, getting to the point when we asked each of our questions, but in such a way we felt we could ask further questions and bounce ideas around before settling on a plan. The support staff was equally helpful, leaving an overall impression of across the board focus on our needs, as well as very friendly follow through. They supplied us with a very thorough binder as well as all files in PDF form so that we can supply parties involved in either paper copies or digital files easily.
R.D.
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We had a wonderful experience here! Attorney Michael Hendricks made the difficult estate planning very simple for us and helped us through each step. I highly recommend!
