So the warranty company have turned down the claim based on the report stating likely 'impact damage'. However, as I say, I know for a fact that it wasn't impact damage. I was the only one home when it happened. Is there anything I can do to get the warranty honoured?
I've already called the repair company and sent them photo evidence that the exterior of the panel was in perfect condition the day the fault developed and they've said they will update their report to acknowledge that. But when I spoke to the warranty company—as expected—they tried to fob me off by saying you wouldn't see any damage to the exterior panel anyway, which makes no sense to me. How can what's underneath the panel basically be smashed and yet the glare filter is in perfect condition?
Anyone have any experience with small claims court over something like this, or some other avenue?
in short no.
despite what you are saying (and lets say for the sake of this argument that I 100% believe you) the "fault" looks exactly like physical damage, exactly like physical damage that the insurance/warranty companies have seen time and time again, and that people have tried to claim is a defect when in actual fact they are lying and they have broken it.
what you are actually asking is, is there any way to convince someone that I am not lying and trying to pull a fast one with a TV which has quite obvious physical damage, the answer is no.
The small claims will get you nowhere, unless you have video proof of you not breaking the TV.
and to answer your other question, yes it is entirely possible to break a TV like this with no external damage