QUESTION
Can my parents force me to get a surgery?
Asked on Apr 15th, 2014 on Family Law - New Jersey
More details to this question:
I have POTS syndrome. There is no known cure. My parents want me to get a surgery to implant a port in my chest. There is a high risk of this surgery going wrong and hitting a nerve, or getting infected. I want to get well, but this surgery seems like it will make me feel even worse, I don't want to have a scar on my upper chest for the rest of my life because it would limit the potential fields of work I could be in such as modeling or acting. I am 15 years old. Can my parents legally force me to go through with this risky procedure?
1 ANSWER
2 Awards
Until you are age 18 - your parents are legally entitled to make medical decisions for you. Ask to speak to your doctors and have them explain the risks. Maybe they are telling you the worse case scenario but that there is a very small likelihood that any of these things will occur.
Answered on Apr 17th, 2014 at 10:14 AM
Diana L. Anderson, Certified Elder Law Attorney This response is not legal advice and does not establish any form of attorney/client relationship