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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 joe@saunderslawyers.com
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