H1 50-110mm issues

I shoot nearly all my work on an H1 with a P25 back. Recently, my 50-110 zoom lens had been exhibiting strange inaccurate focusing and was slipping when focusing. I noticed the problem first while on location on a job. The lens had never been dropped or knocked and was always kept in a custom fitted Pelican case.
When arriving back at the studio, I was removing the lens from it's case to inspect it and the front lens assembly remained in the case!
The lens was taken straight into the local service centre, who sent it off to Sweden for assessment. While the lens has been in Europe waiting over 2 months for inspection, I have been forced to hire a replacement from a local dealer, which has cost me a total of AUD $4800.00 to date. It is a lens I use nearly every day for my work.
Apart from disputing their assessment of the lens damage, I am amazed at the amount of time it took for Hasselblad to respond after receiving the lens.
Their explanation was that the office in Gothenburg was on vacation. That to me is not sufficient to explain a 2 month delay in telling me that the damage is my fault and that it will cost nearly $1000 to fix!

I am wondering if anyone else has had similar problems with either their H1 50-110 zoom lenses, or slow response from Hasselblad Sweden.
A friend of mine has had issues with his 50-110mm too, and we are wondering whether the lens' gearing is too fragile for such a large piece of glass?