Warranty claim denied - options?

[71Corvette]

I purchased a new Samsung Galaxy S4 from AT&T 10 months ago. A few months back I started getting error messages saying that my SIM card was not recognized. The phone also started rebooting itself over and over- several times per day. My local AT&T store replaced the SIM card but that didn't work, they figured it was the SIM card holder. My research has shown that numerous other people have experienced this issue.

After a bit of back and forth I got a warranty exchange from AT&T and I sent my old phone back. Two weeks later my old phone comes back with a note saying it was rejected because of a "broken display, LCD or lens". While there is an area where the coloring flaked off the back of the glass, the display isn't broken or cracked.

In my opinion this is totally bogus. I'm now going to be charged $469 for a new phone and I don't have the option to send the replacement back. I knew there was a risk that they may reject my old phone but I really didn't have an option - my old one just wasn't functional at all! Either way I needed a new phone.

So my question is, has anyone had luck dealing with warranty rejections through AT&T? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BurtGummer]

I never had a problem with them but I would take the supposedly broken phone to a AT&T store have the manager look at it and have them call the warranty claims number and tell them it's not broken and it's just paint that is flaked off.

 

[nps531]

simply don't take no for a answer. you are a paying customer that doesn't abuse the replacement phone issue and or warranty that they provide and you are in need of a replacement phone because you basically can not use your phone because of the error's. it's not like your asking to be upgraded to a S5. defiantly go with 'BurtGummer' suggestion above and go into store explain the situation. if not understanding get corporate number. keep going until your issue is resolved. i found that being firm and making sure you point is clear gives you better results. if all else fails, which i hope it doesn't to resort to, suggest going to a new company which offers to pay your early termination fees (forgot who is offering this at the moment) usually not wanting to loose a paying customer will make a 'one time' exception (don't know how many times I've heard this). hope it doesn't get to that point.

another note are you eligible for upgrade? or on that certain plain when you can upgrade whenever? just a thought.