Leaking batteries caused minor damage to LP10E

After being away most of March I came back to find my electronic trigger wasn't working. I took the cover off and saw that the batteries had started leaking acid and had been for awhile. These batteries were only a few months old. What the!?

I removed the bad batteries and replaced them but nothing would power on. I took the electronic components out and noticed a lot of white powder had leaked out and was corroding the metal. I used some vinegar, water, and a dozen or so Q-tips to clean everything up, but there is a bit of damage to the wood grip (more of a stain) and the battery cover plate had some damage. A bit of paint will clean it up.

Metal plate (bottom left) and top right of electronics compartment shows damage.

The lesson here is that I'll be removing the batteries completely if I plan on letting everything sit for more than a few weeks.