Grand Rapids, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/10/2011 -- Financial advisor and keynote speaker Dennis Tubbergen usually spends most of his time discussing such timely topics as unemployment and the economy in the U.S. He also explains to the readers of his financial blog and the 7,000 financial advisors who receive his monthly newsletter, Smarter Not Harder, his take on what is happening with world events.

Tubbergen, who is CEO of USA Wealth Management, LLC, a federally-registered investment advisory company, could not help but comment on the many recent press articles and television narratives regarding the woman who was texting on her phone and stumbled into a fountain at the shopping mall where she worked.

“I saw an interview with this lady and her lawyer with ABC News,” explains Tubbergen. “During the interview, the lawyer was asked about a potential lawsuit. The lawyer replied that they were still in the investigative stage of the process and were attempting to determine what happened and who was responsible.”

Tubbergen responds with a demonstrative, “Huh?”

“This lady was walking through the mall, not paying attention to what she was doing,” he continues. “She was not running through the mall. She was not being chased through the mall. She was not doing anything other than walking through the mall; walking, an activity that she has presumably been doing successfully for most of her life. Now, according to the lawyer, they are trying to determine what happened and who is responsible.”

Tubbergen believes the answer is pretty simple: she fell in a fountain while distracted and she is responsible. He points out he is not a lawyer and has no experience determining the difference between a solid legal case and a flimsy one.

“It seems to me that allowing a case like this to be heard is as dumb as the case that was heard awhile back from the lady who sued a fast food restaurant after she scalded herself with hot coffee,” notes Tubbergen. “As I recall, she claimed there should have been a warning on the coffee informing her that she could be harmed if she came into contact with the hot coffee. Bet she would have complained about cold coffee!”

Tubbergen’s bottom line here?

“While in my mind this is all ridiculous, it is illustrative of the environment in which we live – we are a litigious society,” concludes Tubbergen. “Given that, it might make sense for you to consider how your assets are protected in the event that you’re sued. You may not have to be grossly negligent to have that happen to you.”

Dennis Tubbergen has been in the financial industry for over 25 years and has his corporate offices in the USA Wealth Management building in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tubbergen is CEO of USA Wealth Management, LLC and has an online blog that can be viewed at http://www.dennistubbergen.com. His weekly talk show The Everything Financial Radio Show is simulcast on two Michigan metro stations and also airs to over 600,000 financial advisors, with recent podcasts available at http://www.everythingfinancialradio.com. Tubbergen’s seminar schedule is also available at the above link.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the writer and not necessarily those of USA Wealth Management, LLC. This update may contain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements as to future events that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those that were forecasted. Therefore, no forecast should be construed as a guarantee. Prior to making any investment decision, individuals should consult a professional to determine the risks, costs, benefits and fees associated with a particular investment. Information obtained from third party resources is believed to be reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed.