DVD Player swapped, but Genius Bar scratched new MacBook

Question

Tonight I picked up my 3 week old MacBook from the Apple Store after the optical drive was swapped out for a new one (the original wouldn't play many commercial dvds - the drive would spin down 3 times and finally eject the disc).
At the Apple Store, I inserted the problem dvd to determine if the fix was complete. The dvd played fine, so I was happy to sign the paperwork and quickly return home (with two kids in tow).
Upon my return, I conducted more than a cursory glance and was startled to see my previously pristine MacBook (kept since day 1 in a Shinza Zeroshock III sleeve) scratched and scuffed on both top and bottome of the exterior.
Again, to emphasize, I am obsessive about maintaining a perfectly intact product, especially free from cosmetic damage. Plus, despite having my 3-week old MacBook already in the shop, there still was a honeymoon of possessing a brand new laptop.
I called the Apple Store and spoke with the manager. She was completely unsympathetic, placing the onus entirely on me. Since I did not bring the cosmetic damage to the attention of the store prior to signing off, she would not do anything for me.
Do I have any recourse here? Does anyone else have experience with Apple Store repairs and any subsequent cosmetic damage?
MacBook White 2.0GHz 2GB ram   Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

Answer 1

Well, I got resolution on this issue(s). Apple Customer Care called at 7:14 am(?!!) and showed that it is an entirely different animal than that found at the Apple Store/Apple Care.
After explaining my situation, the rep offered one of 3 things - $50 credit toward anything on apple.com, a new, replacement MacBook, or a complete refund.
Additionally, the rep was completely sympathetic of my plight - he indicated that he himself would be upset to get a MacBook broken out of box and only to have it damaged further after repair by Apple themselves.
Keep in mind, the Apple Store supervisor asserted to me several times that her people (Genius Bar/repair) were in no way responsible for the cosmetic damage and pointedly asked me if I was so sure I didn't damage the MacBook myself. Based on her position that it's always the customer's fault, she was clear that she would do absolutely nothing.
So, she blamed me for the damage and told me I was stuck with no recompense. This in direct contrast to the 'bedside manner' of the Apple Customer Care rep and his multitude of options, without ever assigning blame to me.
I was surprised by the quickness & generousness of his offer, so I was caught off guard. Finally, torn, I chose to return the MacBook for a complete refund...return shipping paid by Apple. The only thing I'm out of is the price I paid for the Zeroshock III sleeve.
To further assuage my anxiety and painful experience, he offered that next time I purchase a computer, he'll deduct $100 from the bill.
For me, the consumer lineup of Macs are still suspect - flickering displays, terribly high temperatures, problematic optical drives, etc. I'm not a apple novice - owned 4 ipods and 2 iMacs. But the problems with the MacBook were the most disconcerting.
But because of the service I received from the top, I will always consider Apple in the future.
Best of luck to all...and for those who are having problems with ejecting dvds, swap it out for a new one under warranty. It works fine afterwards. But make sure you examine the cosmetics of your case carefully before you sign off on the work.