OnStar Offers Settlement for Wrongful Death Lawsuit in South Carolina

On May 27th, 2026, WMBF News reported that OnStar had offered a South Carolina family a confidential settlement in connection to an elderly woman’s death. The emergency response service had faced allegations of failing to protect the victim from her kidnapper. If you believe OnStar or any other vehicle emergency service failed to protect someone you loved, a wrongful death lawsuit in South Carolina may be possible.

Family Accuses OnStar of Failing to Provide Victim’s Location During Kidnapping

In March of 2021, an 80-year-old woman went missing in Horry County. When the victim’s son noticed that her car wasn’t in its usual spot, he called his mother. Although the victim answered the phone, she was unable to describe her location. The son realized that his mother had OnStar, so he called this company to get more information.

However, OnStar refused to give out the victim’s location, even when her son told them that she was in danger. Instead, a representative initiated a three-way call with the elderly woman. Once again, the woman failed to describe her location and could not confirm whether she was able to pull over and call 911. OnStar then terminated the call.

OnStar explained that they could not give out the victim’s information unless she consented to it. Unbeknownst to everyone on the call, she was being held at gunpoint by a kidnapper. With no other option, the son was forced to contact local law enforcement and file an official missing persons report before OnStar could do anything to help.

By that time, the kidnapper had already driven the victim to an abandoned building and executed her with a shotgun to the back of the head. Once OnStar coordinated with law enforcement and agreed to give out the vehicle’s location, the only thing left to do was locate the body.

An FBI agent subsequently testified that there was no real way of knowing whether things might have ended differently if OnStar had given out the vehicle’s location sooner. However, it is easy to see how law enforcement might have saved the woman’s life if they were able to track the vehicle in real time.

Ultimately, the confidential settlement speaks for itself. While there is no way of knowing how much the family received, one can only hope that it helps cover funeral bills, emotional distress, and other damages.

Can a Wrongful Death Lawyer in South Carolina Help Me?

If you believe that an emergency response service or app failed to give your loved one the protection they needed, a wrongful death lawsuit in South Carolina may be possible. This case shows that companies like OnStar may be willing to offer financial settlements to the families of deceased victims. Learn more about the next potential steps by contacting our South Carolina wrongful death lawyers at Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC at (843) 804-0428 today.

Sources: 

wmbfnews.com/2026/05/27/confidential-settlement-reached-lawsuit-over-horry-county-woman-killed-kidnapping/?outputType=amp

postandcourier.com/myrtle-beach/news/family-sc-grandmother-onstar-lawsuit-settlement/article_6092e2b7-094a-430b-bb0a-b3d5248766a5.html