Hi @historystories
Has the laptop been dropped or gotten wet at all?
If not it could be a faulty display cable/cable connection or there's a problem with the LCD panel itself.
Try connecting an external monitor (TV?) to the laptop's HDMI port and check what the display from the laptop is like using it. Don't forget to press the display function key (5th key from left top row of keys) to switch the display from the laptop screen to the external monitor.
If the external monitor display is OK then here's the [http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06242992.pdf|maintenance and service guide] for the laptop.
Go to p.56 to view the procedure to remove/replace the display assembly. This will also allow you to check if the display cable/cable connections are OK and that the cable hasn't been damaged where it passes through the hinge to get from the motherboard to the lid.
If a component i.e. cable or LCD panel is faulty, on the top of p.56 you will find the spare parts numbers. Search online for the part number, to find suppliers that suit you best. Usually the part number can be found on the cable or on the back of the LCD panel if you wish to verify what it is.