If you're using a product and that product injures you, you might wonder if the product is defective. The company that manufactured, sold, or distributed it may be responsible. Holding the manufacturer responsible for defective products is what product liability law is all about.

Consider the following:

• Are the injuries suffered severe enough to warrant a lawsuit?
• Was the product being used in accordance to manufacturer's instructions?
• Did the manufacturer issue a product recall?
• If a suit is worth bringing, who should be sued? The vendor, manufacturer, distributor, etc?

Many of these questions involve the burden of proof. Because these cases are often against big corporations who will likely retain top legal talent to defense such lawsuits, product liability cases are very complex.

How much of your practice focuses on estate planning?
Estate planning can have serious financial and tax implications. Unless you have a simple estate, you'll probably want to talk with a specialist.

How long have you been practicing this area of law?
While you may feel more comfortable (and pay less) with a young lawyer, it's generally best to go with an experienced attorney.

What do you expect to accomplish for me?
A good estate planning lawyer will do their best to understand your thoughts on issues such as passing down wealth, minimizing taxes on your estate, as well as the nuances of your own family situation.

How do you charge?
Fees will vary widely based on your geographic location and the size and complexity of your estate. Fees usually range on an hourly basis, but some lawyers may be willing to work with you on a fixed fee.

What if I thought I was fine immediately after an accident but then noticed a developing severe pain in my neck months later?

It's always a good idea to go to your doctor soon after an accident if you think there is any possibility you were hurt. If you wait and then develop pain after you've settled a personal injury claim with the insurance company or the driver, you will likely have lost the ability to sue.

Most employment situations are considered employment at will, meaning that an employee can be fired as you (the employer) sees fit. But there are limitations. You still cannot fire employees in a discriminatory fashion. Downsizing can create many legal problems, especially if you employee more than 100 people. 

If your business is this large, make sure you review your layoff plan with a lawyer before moving forward.

Q: There are certain covenants in the neighborhood association where I live. Are they legally binding?

A: Covenants are rules put into place by communities to ensure certain standards are met in a neighborhood. For example, a covenant may restrict the homeowner's ability to erect a satellite dish if that is felt to be unsightly by the association's governing body.

While covenants aren't laws, they are enforceable by the association. If you violate them, your homeowner's association may be able to sue you - so if you are buying a home in a community with such rules in place, make sure you are familiar with them before moving forward.

You have a right to expect that your job won't expose you to known health risks. Under the OHSA Health Act and various state laws, employers must protect employees from known hazards, ensure that buildings comply with safety standards, create plans for an emergency evacuation.

Q: I'm having some personal problems and would like to see a therapist under my company's health plan. Will my boss find out about this?

A: The highest level of privacy afforded an employee is reserved for medical records. For that reason, many employers have their medical benefits administered through their health-care provider. If they do need to see the information, they're required to maintain it in a confidential manner and not release info to anyone in the workplace except those who need to know.

Our friends and collaborators as Lone Star Crowdfunding, a new venture, placed a crowdfunding FAQ on their homepage to help potential investors in the state of Texas learn more about how regulation changes will effect their investment plans in 2015.

This concept is interesting and has grown in popularity in other states. Now the Lone Star State gets in on the action and the business lawyers behind Lone Star Crowdfunding realized they were spending hours a day answering questions from prospective investors. Hence, the FAQ.

This is a great read that clears up a lot of misconceptions about how new laws in 2015 will affect micro-investing. Soon, the site will become a full-on business portal.

Two more premium dot coms we purchased and plan to offer to local lawyers:

• www.harriscountydefenselawyers.com (this is ideal for criminal defense lawyers in the Houston area)
• www.familylawyerdentoncounty.com (this is ideal for family and divorce lawyers north of Dallas)

Both of these sites were fought for and won during a bidding war on Godaddy and we are proud to own them. If you are a local lawyer in Texas, these could be great additions to your domain portfolio as they are "exact match" and can serve a variety of needs.

Harris County is also huge and this would hit over 4 million people. While Denton County isn't as big, it is home to the University of North Texas and any college town is a good fit for these services. More updates to follow.

In a recent article from ABA Journal, a team of researchers set out to determine the average lawyer wage in various regions across the US. The results are interesting. Alaska and Hawaii actually had comparable salaries of around 100k per year.

The poorest fairing areas: The midwest and less populated areas of the country.

The big winners: Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, the Northeast and California.

San Jose, San Francisco and New York were the clear standouts at right around $200,000 a year. El Paso, Oxnard and Los Angeles also moved up the list this year.

The article also speculates that there might be an overabundance of lawyers produced in this country over the last few years.

Q: Who is at fault if a foundation repair company comes out to do a basic repair job (after a previous owner messed up the foundation, admittedly) and makes the job worse? Keep in mind that this is on a rental property I own.

A: This is a grey area. We spoke with the owner of Hercules Foundation Repair in Dallas and he provided some good tips on how to pick a quality company. First, look for referrals and references from previous customers. Any quality concrete company should have these upon request. Secondly, look for accreditations like being involved with the BBB, Angies List and other such organizations. Third, ask for a proof of insurance. Most quality home improvement companies will have no problem providing these documents.