YOUNGSTOWN — A jury in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court awarded a $5 million judgment Monday night against Omni Manor nursing home on Vestal Road in Youngstown after the jury found the nursing home at fault in the Nov. 11, 2022, death of one of its residents.

The suit was filed in November 2024 by Cortney Kula, daughter of Christine A. Kula, 54, alleging negligence and / or recklessness by Omni Manor Health Care Center, also known as Windsor House at Omni Manor, Premier Therapy and 10 John Does in the care and treatment of Christine Kula.

Premier Therapy was dismissed from the suit Friday.

Christine Kula was admitted as a patient at the facility on or about July 12, 2022, the lawsuit alleged.

The defendants “were fully aware that Christine (Kula had) multiple sclerosis and was possessed with serious swallowing difficulties,” the lawsuit alleged.

An Omni Manor response to the lawsuit filed with the court admitted that the defendants were aware that Kula was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis but denied that the defendants were aware that she had “serious swallowing difficulties.”

“On or about Nov. 11, 2022, while under the exclusive care of the defendants, individually and / or through their agents and / or employees, independent contractors and / or servants and / or officers and / or directors, decedent Christine (Kula) was provided access to solid food and / or provided solid food without direct monitoring and supervision, and Christine (Kula) choked and died at the age of 54 from negligence and recklessness of defendants,” the suit alleged.

The Omni Manor response denied all of those allegations.

The lawsuit alleged that the defendants “negligently and recklessly provided care, treatment and supervision to” Christine Kula, which directly and proximately resulted in choking and death.”

The Omni Manor response denied all of those allegations.

The lawsuit alleged that Omni Manor Health Care Center … held themselves out to the general public and specifically to Christine (Kula) and her next of kin as capable and competent to provide medical care, nursing home care, long term care, and or medical and nursing treatment to its patients and residents,” including Christine Kula.

The Omni Manor response states that the defendants “say they are not licensed to practice medicine in the State of Ohio and therefore deny that they provide ‘medical care.’ Defendants admit that they provide competent nursing home care, long-term care and nursing treatment to patients and residents.”

A voicemail was left with Windsor House’s spokesman, Dan Rowland, asking him to contact the newspaper if the company wished to say anything about the verdict, but did not hear back.

The jury pool consisted of eight jurors and two alternates.