Help! Devastated I've already destroyed my retina display :(

[bexydexy]

Hi all

I purchased a Macbook Pro only 2 months ago. I went with what i was told, is the best I could get in the 13"! It is a beautiful laptop...

Careless me had this sitting beside my bed and a friend of mine, in the dark fell into it - it was opened...

As there was no visible damage, the only thing i cared about at the time, was whether they were okay. The following night i go to turn on my mac and the screen is totally stuffffffeddddd... black lines streaming across horizontally and absolutely no OS to see 🙁

Such a big purchase for me ($2500) and I am devastated!

I was speaking to a Apple Support Rep and he mentioned accidental damage? As there are no impact points or dints or cracks - could this pass as accidental damage and be covered under my warranty?

If not, any ideas on how much i will be looking at to have this fixed?

I have always been a windows girls so really not sure what my chances are or what i am looking at moneywise... any advice, help would be greatly appreciated

Sad n Sorry Bex! 🙁

 

[Mr MM]

there are no accidental damage covered in apple warranty

bring to apple and see what they come up with

 

[tengtengvn]

Do you remember the Credit Card that you used to make the purchase?

 

[leman]

Well, technically its the friend of yours that caused the damage. If you 'tidy up' the story a bit, his liability insurance should pay for it.

 

[thekev]

Unless you bought this with a credit card that allows for some amount of additional warranty, I would just take it into either Apple or an authorized retailer and see what they say. The symptoms are odd, and generally the diagnostics and estimates provided by people on here are extremely poor.

 

[Interstella5555]

Well, technically its the friend of yours that caused the damage. If you 'tidy up' the story a bit, his liability insurance should pay for it.

Huh, I haven't heard "tidy up" as a euphemism for "commit insurance fraud" before, well done!

 

[GoCubsGo]

Well, technically its the friend of yours that caused the damage. If you 'tidy up' the story a bit, his liability insurance should pay for it.

Huh, I haven't heard "tidy up" as a euphemism for "commit insurance fraud" before, well done!

No kidding, right?
My insurance though could cover this with the story as it is as long as the item was scheduled in for such coverage.

Unless you bought this with a credit card that allows for some amount of additional warranty, I would just take it into either Apple or an authorized retailer and see what they say. The symptoms are odd, and generally the diagnostics and estimates provided by people on here are extremely poor.

I say the symptoms are that of a disconnect between the display and the GPU cable. If that is the case, the cable was ripped out and possibly very damaged.

 

[leman]

Huh, I haven't heard "tidy up" as a euphemism for "commit insurance fraud" before, well done!

Well, here is a real story for you about 'insurance fraud'. Few month ago I broke my tooth on a small stone while eating rice. I was under shock from the pain and threw the stone into the sink impulsively. I honestly described this all to my accident coverage insurance, which promptly explained to me that they won't pay a cent as I can't present the evidence (the stone), and hence, there is no accident (right, because its perfectly normal for teeth to break from rice) . Now I have to pay several thousand euros for an implant myself, despite having the insurance for these cases. Quite honestly, I should just have picked up a small stone from the street and sent it to them.

Now back to the current case. The liability insurance - by definition - covers accidental damage that you cause to property of others. That is what its there for. It was the friend that destroyed the laptop by accidentally sitting on it. Of course, one might discuss whether the owner is at fault as well for leaving the computer where it was. In the end, it all depends on how you tell the story. It not like I am suggesting the OP should make something up...

 

[swerve147]

Sorry to hear that OP. Doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary either, just bad bad luck.

I wouldn't necessarily lie to Apple, but I would find an Apple Store and play the sympathy card big time. Give em those doe eyes and pray for the best!

 

[SMDBill]

Or see from Apple Store how much the cost to repair is and see about the friend helping or paying the repair? Yes, it was an accident, but caused by someone else so they do at least have a bit of responsibility here. Accidents, by definition, are never intentional so even just being clumsy does not negate their responsibility to some degree. Unless, of course, they tripped in the dark over something you left on the floor that was in their path in unfamiliar territory. Depends on the circumstances, but if I broke my buddy's $2500 piece of equipment I wouldn't just walk away from the situation without owning up to some level of responsibility for it.

 

[Crzyrio]

Hi all

I purchased a Macbook Pro only 2 months ago. I went with what i was told, is the best I could get in the 13"! It is a beautiful laptop...

Careless me had this sitting beside my bed and a friend of mine, in the dark fell into it - it was opened...

As there was no visible damage, the only thing i cared about at the time, was whether they were okay. The following night i go to turn on my mac and the screen is totally stuffffffeddddd... black lines streaming across horizontally and absolutely no OS to see 🙁

Such a big purchase for me ($2500) and I am devastated!

I was speaking to a Apple Support Rep and he mentioned accidental damage? As there are no impact points or dints or cracks - could this pass as accidental damage and be covered under my warranty?

If not, any ideas on how much i will be looking at to have this fixed?

I have always been a windows girls so really not sure what my chances are or what i am looking at moneywise... any advice, help would be greatly appreciated

Sad n Sorry Bex! 🙁

Just take it to an Apple Store and tell them something is wrong with the display, if there are no signs of physical damage you might get lucky. No need to tell them what happen

 

[maflynn]

Just take it to an Apple Store and tell them something is wrong with the display, if there are no signs of physical damage you might get lucky. No need to tell them what happen

That's fraud, and its wrong.

 

[old-wiz]

Just take it to an Apple Store and tell them something is wrong with the display, if there are no signs of physical damage you might get lucky. No need to tell them what happen

Tsk..why are people so willing to commit fraud in one form or another? Whatever happened to responsibility and honesty?

 

[OscarTheGrouch]

Tsk..why are people so willing to commit fraud in one form or another? Whatever happened to responsibility and honesty?

Because big corporations are not viewed as a human entity. I dare say none of these people would mis represent the truth should the cost to repair come out of an individuals pockets. I see both sides of it. Let's say that yeah they take it to apple and apple says we will fix it. well ultimately i would imagine that is already incorporated into apple's cost of doing business as worst or at best, something they can claim back to a manufacturer somewhere where it may well be a tax deductible write off.

That's atleast my thinking on it...

i'm not supporting, I'm just offering a logical viewpoint.

 

[KPOM]

Hi all

As there was no visible damage, the only thing i cared about at the time, was whether they were okay. The following night i go to turn on my mac and the screen is totally stuffffffeddddd... black lines streaming across horizontally and absolutely no OS to see 🙁

I have always been a windows girls so really not sure what my chances are or what i am looking at moneywise... any advice, help would be greatly appreciated

Sad n Sorry Bex! 🙁

It might just be a cable, and so not very expensive to fix. Black lines on the screen seem more like a cable issue than something with the screen itself.

Neither the warranty nor AppleCare cover accidental damage. However, some credit cards cover accidental damage within the first 90 days. Check out the website of the card you used to purchase it.

Once you get it fixed, consider getting a personal articles policy from an insurance company. I have one for my MacBook Pro and it is $60/year and covers accidental damage as well as loss.

 

[thundersteele]

Ok, it's pretty clear that the laptop was involved in an accident. So the obvious course of action is:

1. Bring it to Apple to get an estimate for the repair. I suggest being honest about what happend.

2. Check with your and/or your friends insurance if such an accident is covered. Also look into your credit cards insurance, as others have suggested.


That's it. There is no magic trick to fix it, it is unlikely that you can squeeze this in as a warranty repair, and self repair is almost impossible on these machines. If only the screen is affected the repair should cost much less than a new machine. I remember reading that it's in the $500 ballpark. Since you could afford to go all out on the 13'' rMBP, this should be ok.

 

[johnnnw]

Your best bet is to take it into Apple and say it's broken. I'm not saying scam them. Just say you broke it.

You never know what they will do. If the guy is feeling nice he may hook you up. Again, you never know.

The worst that can happen is they quote you the price for a repair, why not give it a shot?

 

[l.a.rossmann]

Tsk..why are people so willing to commit fraud in one form or another? Whatever happened to responsibility and honesty?

It went out the window after equipment manufacturers decided to mark up repairs by 800%. Armed with the knowledge that a keyboard costs $14, you may not feel bad lying to the manufacturer who tells you it'll be $750 to repair, on a $1200 laptop. I'm not saying it's right, but the initial action lends itself to this behavior.

I am scared ******** to be a vendor of retina panels. The only vendor selling them is LG, and this forum has crucified them. 🙁

 

[akdj]

Ok, it's pretty clear that the laptop was involved in an accident. So the obvious course of action is:

1. Bring it to Apple to get an estimate for the repair. I suggest being honest about what happend.

2. Check with your and/or your friends insurance if such an accident is covered. Also look into your credit cards insurance, as others have suggested.


That's it. There is no magic trick to fix it, it is unlikely that you can squeeze this in as a warranty repair, and self repair is almost impossible on these machines. If only the screen is affected the repair should cost much less than a new machine. I remember reading that it's in the $500 ballpark. Since you could afford to go all out on the 13'' rMBP, this should be ok.

Actually, there's one more option, more of an expansion on your #2 point. If you're in your home or your friend's house, you or your friend should have home owner's insurance. If your home, this is an easy...straight forward claim and subject only to your deductible. If its $500 or more, you may be best off paying out yourself rather than filing the claim. If its $250 or less, the choice (pending the price of the fix) becomes easier. If its your friend's home policy, same deal. Accident happened. Coverage is for exactly these situations, especially in the event there's more internal damage than a 'broken video cable'. If there's catastrophic damage and the price of the 'fix' resembles the price of replacement, insurance could be your answer.

Good luck. And I agree, first trip would be to Apple and have them do an initial diagnosis. You may get really lucky😉

J

 

[cosmicjoke]

I'd just take it in and tell them the display is not working... I don't think that is fraud... If there is damage that you caused, it should be readily apparent to them... If not, it could be totally coincidental and no relation to your friend bumping it... Especially since there was no external damage... You can barely sneeze without scratching these things...

 

[OscarTheGrouch]

I'd just take it in and tell them the display is not working... I don't think that is fraud... If there is damage that you caused, it should be readily apparent to them... If not, it could be totally coincidental and no relation to your friend bumping it... Especially since there was no external damage... You can barely sneeze without scratching these things...

In sales that's called managing your information skillfully. You aren't lying- it's not working. If they ask you what happened then you tell them, but if they don't ask ultimately you might say it's on them.

 

[cosmicjoke]

In sales that's called managing your information skillfully. You aren't lying- it's not working. If they ask you what happened then you tell them, but if they don't ask ultimately you might say it's on them.

Well, not to mention it could be something totally unrelated to the friend bumping into it... It's a bit of an assumption on the OP's part (albeit quite possibly a correct one) that it is the reason the screen no longer works.

I'd just want to take it in and find out the truth. If there was a smashed physical component, there's no denying that, and they'll make you eat the cost. It could just be a synchronicity though where that was the day it defected, in which the OP could get screwed by circumstance. No way to know unless somebody looks at it. Just seems reasonable to take it in and tell them the screen doesn't work and get an impartial assessment of what's wrong.

 

[KPOM]

Just because a product is expensive or has a high markup doesn't justify fraud. No one is forced to buy an Apple product. If you don't like their policies or prices, get something else. Products are priced based on what consumers are willing to pay for them.

 

[KPOM]

Apple's warranty clearly states it doesn't cover accidental damage. Lying about accidental damage to get a repair covered under warranty is fraudulent, plain and simple. What it cost Apple to make or what they charged the buyer are irrelevant at that point. The customer voluntarily bought a product that Apple was selling at the price that Apple offered. It didn't include accidental damage protection.

If you don't like Apple's repair policies, or the labor practices of their suppliers, then DON'T BUY THEIR PRODUCTS. Lecturing us about how it isn't "really" fraud since they are sold at a 40% profit margin or are made by cheap labor in China will get you nowhere. The last time I checked, no one's forcing anyone to buy Apple's products.

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Sad n Sorry Bex! 🙁

Any update? Did Apple quote you a cost for the repair? Again, if you bought it 2 months ago with an AMEX, World Mastercard, or Visa Signature card, you might have purchase protection from them.

 

[cosmicjoke]

gonna drive my point home one more time. take the laptop in and tell them the screen doesn't work and let them unbiasedly figure out what's wrong with it.

just because things events happened in an order that makes sense to you - your friend bumped into it, and then the next night the screen didn't work... doesn't mean they are causal. the screen may have defected and have nothing to do with your friend bumping into it, especially since there is no apparent external damage.

let them figure out what's wrong with it... when they dissect it, if there is apparent physical damage, then don't deny that you've probably been too rough with your macbook.... but if there are no signs of such damage, let them fix it.

seems honest to me to let them figure out what's wrong with it and not assume immediate responsibility, because you just don't know until somebody looks at it. bottom line somebody needs to assess what's wrong with the thing.