End of life decisions |

End of life decisions

Can you decide how you want your life to end?

There are frequent articles in the press about ‘assisted suicide’ and ‘the right to die’. Many of them are sensational and not always based on fact. So what is the legal position?

The law in England does not permit assisted suicide but there are two kinds of document you can sign to make your wishes clear to doctors and family.

Want to find out more? Our dedicated team of wills and probate solicitors in Birmingham are here to assist you. We will take full details of your matter and provide you with an accurate quote and sound advice.

RLK Solicitors

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stef williams

11:40 16 Oct 24

Rlk Solicitors are absolutely outstanding. I dealt with Manisha and Sophie, and the service received was fantastic. With the hard work and determination from Rlk in regards to my business interruption claim, they made the whole process a walk in the park. Updates were very regular, and communication was kept throughout the whole process. I'm so grateful for everything they have done for me and the rest of the hairdressing, beauty, and barbering community. Thank you once again team Rlk 🙏 your hard work, dedication, and determination will be forever appreciated from my business

Mitchell Bennett

13:16 03 Oct 24

Professional and Efficient Service throughoutThank you

Ree Ingram

11:20 16 Sep 24

Honestly can’t thank Mia at RLK enough! I really didn’t think I would ever get a settlement and without your help and dedication I probably wouldn’t have! As a small salon owner this literally is the most welcome news to end what has been an incredibly stressful financial few years. Thank you again!

paul weaver

20:52 10 Sep 24

Superb

Julia Rowe

06:59 08 Sep 24

Rlk have been fantastic , getting justice for many salons who were poorly treated by Salon Gold . It has been a long journey but with Rlk solicitors persevering I finally have the outcome that I hoped for . I can’t thank them enough and totally recommend them to anyone who needs legal representation.

S W

15:15 28 Aug 24

Fantastic level of service received from RLK during the sale of a property. Amrit dealt with our conveyancing and was extremely efficient and on the ball throughout. Would not hesitate to recommend...

Adrian Morgan

12:51 16 Aug 24

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐We are an independent, family-run hair and beauty salon, and we cannot thank RLK Solicitors enough for their incredible support. They helped us take a claim against our insurance company, who refused to pay our business interruption insurance due to the forced government shutdowns in 2020 and beyond.RLK worked tirelessly to represent us and achieved a settlement far beyond what we ever expected. They were patient and persistent, even when we dragged our heels providing the necessary information.We received our offer today, and we are beyond grateful. This settlement will make a huge difference to our salon and our team. Thank you, RLK Solicitors, for your instrumental role in helping us through this challenging time. We couldn't have done it without you.Massive thank you!

Amy Tam

09:35 06 Aug 24

Wilson is a highly professional and reliable individual who expertly guided us through the process of purchasing a new home in the UK. His extensive experience provided us with peace of mind as we relocated to a new country. Wilson diligently oversaw the process from start to finish, ensuring a smooth transition even before our move to the UK.I wholeheartedly recommend his services if you require a skilled conveyancing professional.

elise frisby

14:54 08 Jul 24

Absolutely fantastic law firm , all staff are very professional always answer emails and calls straight away . Would 100% use again

Andy Chan

23:42 05 Jul 24

As a first-time buyer, I truly appreciate Wilson's patience, clear explanations, and constant communication throughout the house-buying process. His expertise and guidance made a complex experience smooth and empowering, and I couldn't be happier in my new home!

Lorna Clelland

21:28 02 Jul 24

RLK solicitors have acted successfully on my behalf in a recent business interruption claim against my insurance company. They were professional, friendly and extremely easy to deal with. Would highly recommend them.

C Leung

18:57 02 Jul 24

Wilson is professional and reliable. Whenever we had any enquiries during the property purchase process, he would give us a call to explain in details and keep us updated of the progress.

Alastair Taylor

15:24 02 Jul 24

RLK worked on our business interruption claim against our insurers for a period of over 2 years. In that time, we were kept informed about everything that was happening on a very regular basis. The team at RLK were very straight about what the process would be, what the likely timeline was and what was required from us in terms of information and figures. At no point did they ever over promise and under deliver - quite the reverse in fact. The outcome was as good as we could have hoped for and I have nothing but praise for Chris Guy and his team who were absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Thank you.

Laura Harrison

14:23 02 Jul 24

After an extremely long and stressful battle due to a business interruption case RLK came to the rescue and were 100% the best solicitors for the job! They were extremely helpful, professional, and understanding throughout the past 3 years. The communication was amazing, I never felt left out or that I didn’t know what was going on. They strived to get the best outcome possible for me and I will forever be grateful to them. I would 100% recommend RlK to anyone.

Verity Oliver

13:37 20 Jun 24

RLK solicitors - What an incredible firm! The team fought tirelessly against our insurers in relation to the non payment of business interruption insurance. We were kept in the loop throughout the whole process. A member of the team was always on hand to answer any queries. Thank you RLK!

CLARE ROGERS

17:29 06 May 24

Very professional. Respond quickly. Always there for you. Whole team I've worked with have been amazing.

Helen Preece

18:43 01 Feb 24

I was involved in a complicated case involving Tennants in Common, a poorly written Deed of Trust (not written by this company). The solicitor dealing with the matter joined RLK at which point the now prolonged case began to go forward. We worked with Simon Thompson who had to work through a considerable number of communications.He grasped the basics quickly.Since then the case has progressed to a successful conclusion.Throughout they have been excellent communicators clarifying legal issues for us. Clear with their advice and support. Never made any false promises being honest where any doubts arose.I intend to continue to use this company for the now possible sale of my property.I would highly recommend this company.

Sally Coles-Robertson

11:03 01 Feb 24

Jacqueline graham

19:49 22 Jan 24

Great solicitors, keep you updated every stage of the way.

Charlotte Dwyer

16:48 22 Jan 24

Thank you, excellent service and lovely staff. Dealt with Simon regarding passport applications.

michelle Yates

17:31 17 Jan 24

Rlk are doing an amazing job, they are continuously fighting to get the payouts we deserve from our insurance companies. I’ve been kept updated the whole way through the process, and they have put so much hard work and determination into it from day 1. Would 100% recommend Rlk.

Dennis

18:05 05 Jan 24

I highly recommend WilsonHe is always polite, patient, and responsible. He took the time to understand my case and explain the process to me in a clear way. He was always available to answer my questions and provide me with updates on my case. I am very grateful for his help and I would definitely recommend him

Stephanie Moss

09:17 04 Oct 23

I whole heartedly can’t recommend RLK solicitors enough. Their commitment and communication throughout my case has been second to none. Lucy has kept me informed, and updated me every step of the way. Whatever the outcome of the arbitration, I know that they have put their heart and soul into my case and I am beyond grateful for their dedication and determination. Great work team.

Kirst198

17:18 28 Sep 23

RLK have been and continue to be amazing working hard for my business. Lucy keeps me up to date with all the information. Very friendly and professional, who know their stuff!!Thank you for fighting for us all in the beauty and hair industry

Lasting power of attorney for health and welfare

You could sign a lasting power of attorney for health and welfare document. This enables a person to appoint one or more other people to speak on their behalf with regard to health and welfare issues when they can no longer make their wishes known.

This document covers not just end of life decisions but how you would wish to be treated if you could no longer communicate your views to others.

For example, the attorney may decide which care home you should move to. The attorney makes the decisions when you, the donor of the power, has lost the mental capacity to do so. All decisions must be taken in your best interests. The power of attorney must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used.

Due to the length of time it takes to register the document, we recommend it be registered as soon as you sign it.

Advanced medical decision

The other document is an ‘advanced medical decision’ or ‘advanced directive’ but is frequently referred to in common parlance as ‘a living will.’

This document sets out what you wish to happen in certain circumstances. It has to be written very clearly and be appropriate to the particular circumstances applying at any one time.

For example, if you are diagnosed with cancer or dementia you could set out how you wish to be treated when you are no longer capable of giving instructions to medical professionals. The document needs to be signed, dated and witnessed.

Professional guidance is essential due to the need for clarity and there are some things you cannot do in such a document.

For instance, you cannot request your life be deliberately ended, nor can you request to be kept artificially alive. On the other hand, you may request the withdrawal of treatment even if the effect will be to hasten your death.

We recommend you notify the consultant treating you of the advanced directive and ensure it is noted on your records. If the doctors treating you are unaware of the document’s existence, they may continue with treatment, especially in an emergency situation.

End of life decisions