Heard this before? CPAP machine run over by car!!!

CharlesJ · Post by **CharlesJ** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:03 am

Good morning all!

On the way to the lake Thursday night my wife and I stopped off for some groceries. I had to re-pack the car to accomodate the groceries. Come bed-time don't you know NO CPAP MACHINE!! So we call the grocery store and they found it in the parking lot. Almost an hour round-trip to retrieve la machine only to find it damaged and not usable.

THANK GOODNESS FOR CPAP.COM who overnighted me some new gear and I was back in business by Saturday night! Thank you, Fernando!

I would like to get my old machine repaired. It is a PB420E. It's blowing, but it looks like the LCD screen is cracked and I would like to know that it is 100% working. Should I send it back to PB? What do they charge? Is there a better place to have it fixed?

I appreciate any suggestions.

Chuck

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:37 am

You are fortunate to have your AFLAC duck with you.
File a claim with aflac for the damaged cpap-
tell them it is not breathing well.

Maybe it will get paid to miss work.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:44 am

Just take the unit to your DME company. They should have all the facilities needed to both check it out and most likely repair it as well. The two companies I've dealt with both had maitenence and repair folks on site and I understand that most do.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:37 am

you will have to return it to where you purchased it. It has a 2yr warranty (but not from misuse/abuse).

If you purchased from cpap.com, just send an email to sales@cpap.com and the serial number, they can tell you if it is still covered under warranty. I think they can also get it refurbished if you want (although they don't sell refurbished units).

wabmorgan · Post by **wabmorgan** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:55 pm

Well... off hand I think you will probally have to write this one off.

Sometimes when it comes to things like this... they simply aren't worth repairing.

I know for myself... I don't think I would trust it even if it was repaired.

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:01 pm

From what you have described of it, I would go with the suggestion to seek a refurbishment of the unit via cpap.com (am assuming they can arrange this).

A cracked lcd in a PB420e is not a big effort to replace.

I am sure you would find it worth the cost.

Cheers

DSM

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:25 am

Charles,
dsm is our local "machine dissecting guru". He has taken apart most machines, and knows what he's talking about. Here a link to his photos of disassembeled machines.

http://www.internetage.com/cpapinfo/

By the way, did you see tyre tracks on the bag?
O.

CharlesJ · Post by **CharlesJ** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:47 am

Y'all,

Thanks so much for your suggestions. If at all possible I would like to see this thing get repaired. My wife and I just purchased a weekend get-away at the lake and so it would be ultra-convenient to have two machines.

So I sent an e-mail as suggested to sales@cpap.com. Stay tuned and I will report my progress for future reference.

PS >>> The duck symbolizes that I took to CPAP like a duck to water. I'm thinking of changing it.

Chuck

CharlesJ · Post by **CharlesJ** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 8:17 am

Good morning,

It occurred to me that I failed to update this thread. Things ended up turning out swimmingly!

CPAP.com took back the damaged unit and replaced it with a brand new unit ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I turned the receipt into my insurance company and I expect that they'll re-imburse me.

Stay tuned.

Chuck

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:32 am

AWESOME!!!!!!!!

CharlesJ · Post by **CharlesJ** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 5:01 pm

Final update on this:

First time I sent the claim to Blue Cross/Blue Shield they "never got it", so I had to fax it to them. We got a check last Wednesday for 80%!!! Cool!

So here's the score:

Insurance buys first CPAP machine.
Car runs over CPAP machine. Chuck is even.
Chuck buys replacement CPAP machine from CPAP.com. Chuck is down 1.
CPAP.com replaces damaged CPAP machine for FREE! We're back even.
Insurance pays for replacement CPAP machine!!! I've got a spare!
So I keep one at home and one at our vacation home.

Sweeeet!

I hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving!

Chuck

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:29 pm

Just curious if I am missing something here.

CPAP.com replaced a machine that was not defective free?

You got 80% back from insurance?

Shouldn't that 80% go to CPAP.com?

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 8:02 pm

Boys and Girls-do not try this at home- a little extreme way of getting a
spare CPAP machine. Just couldn't resist

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:51 pm

You joke, but I was dead serious.

Very nice of CPAP.com to replace a machine that was ruined by someone else's mistakes.

But I still think the insurance money should go to CPAP.com

If your car is stolen and you get paid by the insurance company, then the police recover your car, you don't get to keep the car and the insurance money.

CharlesJ · Post by **CharlesJ** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:08 am

Snoregirl,

Certainly you're not implying that I did something dishonest?

CPAP.com arranged a warranty adjustment via Puritan-Bennett so they're not out anything. Turns out PB warranties their product two years- unconditionally. It reminds me of the Craftsman tool warranty.

I'm sorry if I didn't make this clear in earlier posts.

Chuck

Mask

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