Who would you like to have make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself? Using a simple legal form you can appoint this person as your Health Care Proxy. This person has the authority to make medical decisions for you after a doctor has authorized that you are unable to make decisions for yourself. However, they will need access to your medical records in order to make informed decisions. Because of patient privacy laws, it's also important to have a legal document called a HIPAA Release so your "proxy" can see your medical records. (HIPAA, a federal patient privacy law, stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Otherwise they may be denied access to your records.
What about your financial affairs? Who would you trust to have access to your money and pay your bills for you, and make other financial decisions, during a potential period of disability? You can appoint a person to handle your finances in case of disability rather than letting the probate court do so. This requires a legal document called a Durable Power of Attorney. The person you designate to act on your behalf is called you "attorney-in-fact". You can choose how little or how much power you give to your attorney-in-fact in regards to managing your finances.
Another financial factor to consider is the risk of losing your assets to soaring medical bills while disabled. If you create a trust the assets you put into it will be protected from creditors and can be used to provide for you as needed. Despite popular belief trusts serve many purposes and are not just for the wealthy.
These are just a few examples of the legal documents you may wish to have to protect your interests. Your legal needs may vary based upon your circumstances.