Proving Physical Damage

[gentlyweep]

I recent purschased a PowerPro m 5:6 from Powernotebooks.com. I love computers. I have 2 desktops right now, one of them I built myself. I was like an expectant parent waiting for my new laptop. It was to be my new baby. I got and was so excited but that didnt last too long. A couple of days ago my mother came over and asked me to show her something online. Well instead of bringing her back to my room I figured I would bring my new laptop to her. I walked across the room and realized I didnt have enough cord from my router. I placed it on the floor near my wall and grab a bit more cord and headed back to pick up my laptop and place it on the dinning room table. I place the laptop on the table and turn it on. To my horror I see this god awful balck pen leak on it and a diagnal line across the screen. 75% of the screen was was white and the other 25 a bit distorted but still has the windows desktop. I didnt know what to think. I was irked that something would go wrong withing the very first week of having it. I just said oh well atleast I have a warranty. I call them up and they were helpful and said they were going to get it strightened out but that a claim needed to be placed with the manufacture which is chemusa. They said a tech guy from chem usa would email me tomorrow. I got an email asking about physical damage. Ive never even heard of that term before so I figured I would call and get some clarity. Well when I called I was placed in contact with guy who was not the tech guy that wrote the email. However they said they could help me so I explained what happened. The fellow told me it sounded like physical damage and that the lcd screen would need to be replaced. I said ok. He then wanted me to know that it was very expensive. I told him I purchased a warranty so this would be covered. He told me no that I would have to replace it. I was floored and asked why and was told that it was physical damage. Not understanding I called Powernotebooks back and spoke to the customer rep. She was really nice in explaining the physical damage is would be like negliance. I figured well no problem I wasnt negligent and I hadnt done anything like dropped or knocked it into anything. In fact I was super careful with it. I her know what when I laid it down it was to get more cable cord from the router so it wouldnt fall and I would have a mess on my hand. She asked me to take photos and I did and sent them to her. Today I got a phone call that it looks like my computer damage was the result of physical damage and it would be 600 bucks to replace the lcd screen. I was floored because I havent let anyone touch my laptop and Ive been so careful with it. I cant fathom paying 2300 bucks for something and have to shell out 600 more a week later. I was told that it looked like the lcd had a crack. I asked if this could of happened during shipping and I was told no because it turn on ok.

Im becoming sick over this. I mean I needed this laptop for school and now I dont have it. I was so amazingly careful with it. I live alone, dont have pets, dont let people borrow my computers, I take such care of mine that I dont see how I did this. I dont think I did. The woman was very helpful but I cant help feeling like Im being made out to be some liar. I have no problems replacing things that I do damage. I mean had I dropped it or anything like that I would pony up the cost. It just seems so unfair that I have to shell out money for something I didnt do espically after only week of service.

Could this happened in shipping and it now really show up for days?
Do I have any recourse with my now ruined machine?

Anything would be helpful.

 

[eelw]

Sorry to hear about your problem. But you have to see if from the manufacturers point of view. The glass in LCD screens just do not spontaneously crack. Physical damage is not covered under warranty. Find yourself lucky that the repair costs is only $600. LCD costs can work out to be over half the cost of the laptop. I know this is not want you want to here, but you need to face the facts.

 

[Belteshazzar]

Show us the pictures.

 

[nealh]

I am confused..is the screen cracked..is there ink spot on it?

 

[gentlyweep]

I do understand their bottom line that things like this just dont happen. Im also looking at for this point of disbelief. You sit something down grab some cord from the router and come back and its looking like hell broke loose. That to me just cant happen.. yet no one can make sense of it. If it was me dropping it or anything along those lines I could accept it. No I wouldnt be as happy about it but the blame would be on me. It would be easier on my knowing that I was just careless and made a mistake. I wouldnt sit here with my stomach in knots trying to figure out how the prove that Im not some liar out to con people. It would save me the embarassment of crying on the phone with the company. You know when its your fault you eat the cost and move on and I could but for no reasoning behind something like this..I dont feel right about paying it. I just cant see myself being lucky that its "only" 600 bucks. To me its alot of money that as a college student who just spent 2300 bucks I cant afford to spend, espcially something that can not be explained. Facing the facts? I cant see how this happens when you are so careful with something almost to paranoid fault. In a span of a minute it went from fine to terrible with nothing to explained what happened. Jeez it almost has me thinking there is something to be said about living next door to cemetary. Im just frazzled and feeling defeated. I mean there is nothing worse than being called a liar in all but name and not being able to prove that its not true. Ill be glad to show the photos

http://home.mchsi.com/~elyngrandy/screen2.jpg
http://home.mchsi.com/~elyngrandy/screen.jpg

 

[Belteshazzar]

Well there is nothing wrong with persistance. If you know exactly what went wrong and continue to call them explaining your situation. Take more photos and see if any screws that were fastened too tightly was to blame. Perhaps and circuit problem that blew up and caused the trouble.

 

[Koing]

Dam that is a strange situation.

I feel bad for you dude as you did nothing wrong. Maybe it was the circiuit/ lcd problem to start with?

Well it is going to be tough to get any £££ out of them but keep trying.

Koing

 

[nealh]

Wow..that is strange looking

Find out if they have an authorized repair center nearby if so have someone lookout at to determine what happened...

Did you pay on a credit card..some have extended warranties...also you may be able to dispute the charge as a defective item that they are properly dealing with

But you will need a repair center to help prove you did not cause the damage