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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
Los Angeles, CA, United States, 2007/06/18 - LegalZoom.com national survey shows increasing number of Americans with living wills, but three out of four remain unprotected.
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LegalZoom.com, the nation's number one online legal document preparation service, today announced the results of its third national survey on Living Wills, a legal document that allows individuals to decide whether or not to be kept on life support if one is permanently unconscious or in a coma. Conducted by InsightExpress, the survey on Living Wills sampled 1000 adults 18+ (margin of error +/- 3.09 percent) nationwide.
According to the Legal Zoom 2007 survey results, 25.2 percent of respondents had prepared a Living Will, up from 22.1 percent in 2005 and 20.7 percent in 2004.
The 2007 Legal Zoom survey also showed an increase in the number of people who noted the importance of preparing a Living Will: 46.1 percent in 2007 compared to 42.3 percent in 2005. Likewise, those that indicated that having a Living Will was “not important at all” declined from 23.7 percent in 2005 to 21.4 percent in 2007. There was also a 27 percent decrease in the number of people who “never even thought about creating a Living Will”: 32.8 percent this year versus 45.2 percent in 2005.
"It’s great that more Americans are making Living Wills and that more people are aware of the importance of this legal document,” noted attorney Robert Shapiro, co-founder of LegalZoom.com. "The value of preparing a Living Will cannot be overstated, particularly in preventing family and legal disputes if a patient cannot convey his or her wishes regarding life support. Unfortunately, three out of four Americans still haven’t prepared a Living Will."
Among respondents who considered making a Living Will but still haven’t, the main reasons for their lack of action were "don't have the time" (13.1 percent), "price" (12 percent) and "trust their spouse with their medical decisions" (17.5 percent).
When asked what prompted respondents to consider preparing a Living Will, more than one out of every five (19.6 percent) cited their own illnesses or an ill friend or family member as the main factor in their decision.
"Many people don’t think about these issues until it’s too late,” noted Brian Liu, Chairman of LegalZoom.com. “The truth of the matter is that medical emergencies can happen at any time, without notice. These days, preparing a Living Will can be inexpensive and relatively uncomplicated, and it allows people to have the peace of mind of knowing that their wishes will be carried out."
About LegalZoom.com
Legal Zoom is the nation's number one online legal document service. Co-founded by attorney Robert Shapiro in 2001, LegalZoom.com lets consumers and small-business owners take care of common legal matters online without a costly attorney. Legal document and filing services available through LegalZoom include: Wills, Living Wills, Incorporation, LLC Formation, Living Trusts, Power of Attorney, Divorce, Small Claims, Trademarks, Copyrights and more. LegalZoom.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or counsel.
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