> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.flexwash.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Damage Claims
> Capture vehicle damage reports at the point of service, with photo and audio evidence attached automatically.
Damage disputes are a fact of car-wash life. FlexWash lets your attendant log a
claim in seconds, on-site, before the customer drives off. The VIN
photo, damage photos, and a short ambient audio recording are all captured and
attached automatically, so you have a clear, time-stamped record of exactly what
was reported and when.
Every claim is tied to its original order and the customer's history, then routed
to a back-office report where managers review the evidence and resolve it.
## Submitting a Damage Claim
Damage claims start from an order on the pay tablet.
1. Search for and open the order in question. This is the same order detail view
you use for receipts and refunds.
2. In the order's action buttons, tap **Submit Damage Claim** (the red button).
Each order can have only one damage claim. Once a claim is submitted, the
button changes to **Damage Claim Submitted** and is disabled for that order.
### The claim form
Fill in the form and attach the required photos:
| Field | Required | Notes |
| ------------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Contact Name | Yes | Person reporting the damage (up to 200 characters) |
| Contact Phone | Yes | A valid phone number |
| Description | Yes | Free-text description of the damage |
| VIN Image | Yes | One photo taken with the tablet camera; use **Retake Photo** to replace it |
| Damage Images | Yes | One to ten photos taken with the tablet camera; remove any with the X badge |
The **Submit Claim** button stays disabled until a VIN photo and at least one
damage photo are attached and the required text fields are valid.
In addition to the photos, FlexWash captures a short audio recording of the
interaction and attaches it to the claim automatically. The attendant does not
need to do anything extra; it provides helpful context when the claim is reviewed
later.
## Reviewing Damage Claims
Submitted claims appear in the **Damage Claims** report in the main app. Choose a
date range, confirm the car wash selection in the top navbar, then click **Run**.
The report has two tabs:
* **Pending** lists open claims that still need a decision.
* **Closed** lists claims that have been resolved (approved or denied).
Each row shows the claim date, contact name and phone, a description preview, the
employee, the car wash, and a status badge, along with a **View** action.
### Claim detail
Click **View** to open the full claim. The detail page has two tabs:
* **Details:** the claim information (contact, description, employee, car wash,
the claim and original order dates, and the resolution once one is set) plus
customer info such as name, total washes, active membership status, and
lifetime value.
* **Evidence:** the VIN image, the audio recording with its transcript, and all
damage images.
## Resolving a Claim
To resolve a pending claim, an admin opens it and chooses **Approve** or
**Deny**. A resolution note is required to confirm the decision. Resolving a
claim moves it from **Pending** to **Closed** with the chosen status and records
your note for future reference.
Resolving a claim in FlexWash only updates its tracking status. FlexWash does
not handle payouts, reimbursements, or accounting for damage claims. Those must
be recorded and managed in your own financial or insurance process. The report
is a record-keeping and evidence tool, not a settlement system.
The result is a clear, evidence-backed record of every damage report, from the
moment it is logged at the lane to the day it is resolved.