Can you turn your body into a legal document?

By: Michael Wall

"Do Not Resuscitate" joins barbed wire, anyone’s name you’re dating, and a self-portrait on the list of things you should think twice about getting tattooed on your body. It's easy to see why a DNR tattoo is an appealing idea. A tattoo ensures that the DNR statement is quite literally always on your person, doctors would see the tattoo before performing CPR, and anyone that takes the time to get a tattoo must be sincere about their wishes.

But, a recent case involving a Florida man with such a tattoo illustrates the flaws with this idea. You can read Randi Siegel’s recent guest blog post on the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys blog to read about the confusion this tattoo caused and some lessons that can be gleaned from this case.

December 13, 2017 | Advance Care Planning News, Advance Care Planning Policy