My dad signed a power of attorney appointing me to help him should he become medically unable to handle his affairs. He never gave it to me saying that he would when I needed to have it. Last week he was put on life support and being treated because he was having trouble breathing due to pneumonia, since then, while still on the ventilator he has also suffered heart attack and stroke, leaving him without being able to move his right side. I can not find the poa anywhere in his paperwork! He has several matters pending that need to be attended to but it seems without the actual document, my hands are tied. The law firm that drew up the document says they do not have any copy of the signed document, all the keep on file is the document as it was written without any signatures... I feel stuck and unable to help. Is there any other way to get the power or authority to help him in his condition? He is unable to speak and is still kept under sedation due to the ventilator. The doctors are unable to determine the damage done by the heart attack and strokes, because they can't get him off the ventilator. He is not getting worse, he is not getting much better, it seems to be touch and go and they feel he will have a long recovery. How can I help him handle his affairs while he is in this condition?

My Dad is currently in CCU on life support/ventilator to breath. Since being put on life support he has also suffered heart attack and stroke, leaving him without movement on his right side. He stays mostly sedated and incoherent due to the ventilator. There is not a lot they can do to treat him for the strokes and heart attack,they can't even determine the damage that has been done due to the fact of him being on the life support. He is hanging in there, but with little improvement. They say he is going to have a very long recovery time. He had signed a medical power of attorney, but never gave it to me. The law firm is being very unhelpful and say they have no copy of the document, only what was drawn up, but nothing signed. I feel like my hands are tied. He has several important legal and financial matters pending, not to mention his day to day affairs. How can I help him with his affairs while he is in this condition? Is there another way to get the authority to help him through this crisis, especially considering we have no way of knowing what his physical and mental state/comprehension is? I only want to be able to help him get through and ensure that all his affairs are in order.

My dad is very ill. On life support and since then suffered heart attack and stroke. They can not determine the damage done, though he has no movement on his right side. He is kept sedated due to the ventilator. The doctors say it will be a very long recovery. He has some important legal and financial matters pending, as well as his day to day affairs, bills and what not. We were not prepared for this as it came on suddenly. How do I get the authority to help him with his personal business while he is in this condition?

Please do not keep asking the same ( or similar ) question over and over, I have merged them.

Thank you, I was just unsure which topic to place the question in, sorry. Please understand I am very overwhelmed and distraught

You could go to Court and request that you be appointed to handle his affairs. You, of course, would need proof that he is (at this time) incompetent. The law firm could testify that he signed the P/A in their presence, even though you cannot locate it.

At this point with all that's going on I would suggest that an Attorney handle this on your behalf.