For Immediate Release
December 15, 2006
Contact: Peter Schweitzer
727-421-0718

Kava Kava Death Lawsuit Filed Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Attorney Plans to File in Orange County Circuit Court

Pinellas Park,FL-Attorney Joseph H. Saunders will file a civil lawsuit against the manufacturers and distributors of Kava Kava on Tuesday December 19, 2006 at 2pm at the Orange County Civil Courthouse, 425 North Orange Avenue in Orlando . Kava Kava is a herbal tranquilizer sold in some health food stores.

Saunders represents the family of Laura Starks in the wrongful death lawsuit. Laura Starks received a liver transplant and subsequently died of liver failure on November 29, 2005 as a result of having ingested the Kava Kava pills.

For more information, please go to:

http://kavaliverlawsuit.com

and

http://saunderslawyers.com

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Kava Kava News

In March 2002, the FDA issued a consumer advisory concerning the potential for liver damage to those using Kava Kava and Kava Kava-containing products have been associated with liver-related injuries – including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure -- in over 25 reports of adverse events in other countries. Four patients required liver transplants. In the U.S.,

The FDA has received a report of a previously healthy young female who required liver transplantation, as well as several reports of liver-related injuries. Consumers who use a Kava Kava-containing dietary supplement and who experience signs of illness associated with liver disease should also consult their physician. Symptoms of serious liver disease include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) and brown urine. Non-specific symptoms of liver disease can include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, unusual tiredness, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. contact attorney Joe Saunders

What is Kava Kava?

Kava Kava (Piper methysticum) has been used as a ceremonial beverage in the Pacific Islands for thousands of years. The roots are chewed or ground into a pulp and added to cold water. The resulting thick brew, which has been compared to the social equivalent of wine in France, is typically offered to guests and dignitaries visiting the Pacific Islands.

Kava Kava root (which is used in medicinal preparations) comes from a tall shrub that grows in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. This shrub produces large, green, heart-shaped leaves that grow thickly on the branches. Long, slender flowers grow where the branches meet the stems. The roots look like bundles of woody, hairy branches.Studies have indicated that Kava Kava roots contain fiber, proteins, potassium, and compounds known as Kava Kavalactones, and as yet unidentified compounds.contact attorney Joe Saunders

The strength of Kava Kava varies greatly and depends on the plant from which it is prepared and how it is prepared. When Kava Kava is drunk, the active chemicals are absorbed through the stomach into the bloodstream and pass quickly to the brain. Kava Kava acts as sedative and soporific (sleep inducing). It also induces generalised muscle relaxation Depending on the strength of the Kava Kava mixture, it can have a psychoactive effect. While Kava Kava does not contain alcohol, people talk about getting ?drunk? on Kava Kava. A person is thought to be drunk on Kava Kava if he or she cannot walk or talk properly, is very friendly, dizzy, sleepy or is acting "funny".contact attorney Joe Saunders

The information provided on this website is designed to provide the consumer with important information about the serious health risks and the legal claims that may from the aggressive marketing, prescription, and use of Kava Kava.

Joe Saunders represents individuals who have been injured by Kava Kava-containing dietary supplements. Kava Kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant indigenous to the islands in the South Pacific where it is commonly used to prepare a traditional beverage. Supplements containing the herbal ingredient Kava Kava are promoted for relaxation (e.g., to relieve stress, anxiety, and tension), sleeplessness, menopausal symptoms and other uses. FDA has not made a determination about the ability of Kava Kava dietary supplements to provide such benefits.

Attorney Saunders has spent the last decade representing persons injured by diet drugs Fen-Phen, Redux, and Pondimin. contact attorney Joe Saunders

Kava Kava products in the form of Kava Kava pills, liquid beverages, natural Kava Kava powder, Kava Kava tinctures, and Kava Kava extracts. The product is also known by various names such as Kava Kava (Vanuatu), 'awa (Hawaii), yangona (Fiji), sakau (Pohnpei), Kava Kava (Tonga), 'ava (Samoa). Regardles of the form or the name of Kava Kava, Kava Kava is a dangerous product that can cause severe liver damage. If you or a loved one, have suffered liver damage or liver toxicity, you should seek legal advice immediately. Call the law firm of Saunders & Walker, PA @ 1-800-748-7115 or email [email protected]