diff --git a/controllers/contactController.js b/controllers/contactController.js
index e27ec0a..c31512b 100644
--- a/controllers/contactController.js
+++ b/controllers/contactController.js
@@ -1,14 +1,49 @@
-// contactController.js
 module.exports = (pool, transporter) => {
-    
     const submitForm = async (req, res) => {
-        const { firstName, lastName, organization, email, phone, contactMethod, message, privacyAccepted } = req.body;
+        const {
+            firstName,
+            lastName,
+            organization,
+            email,
+            phone,
+            contactMethod,
+            message,
+            privacyAccepted
+        } = req.body;
+
+        if (
+            !firstName || !lastName || !email || !message ||
+            typeof contactMethod === 'undefined' ||
+            typeof privacyAccepted === 'undefined'
+        ) {
+            console.error('Missing required fields in submission:', req.body);
+            return res.status(400).json({ message: 'Missing required form fields.' });
+        }
 
         try {
             const result = await pool.query(
-                `INSERT INTO submissions(first_name, last_name, organization, email, phone, contact_method, message, privacy_accepted, time_submitted) 
-                 VALUES($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, NOW()) RETURNING *`,
-                [firstName, lastName, organization, email, phone, contactMethod, message, privacyAccepted]
+                `INSERT INTO submissions(
+                    first_name,
+                    last_name,
+                    organization,
+                    email,
+                    phone,
+                    contact_method,
+                    message,
+                    privacy_accepted,
+                    time_submitted
+                ) VALUES($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, NOW())
+                RETURNING *`,
+                [
+                    firstName,
+                    lastName,
+                    organization,
+                    email,
+                    phone,
+                    contactMethod,
+                    message,
+                    privacyAccepted
+                ]
             );
 
             console.log('Successfully saved submission to the database:', result.rows[0]);
@@ -43,10 +78,10 @@ module.exports = (pool, transporter) => {
             });
 
         } catch (err) {
-            console.error('An error occurred during form submission:', err.stack);
+            console.error('Error occurred during form submission:', err.stack || err);
             res.status(500).json({
-                message: 'An error occurred. Please try again.',
-                error: err.message
+                message: 'An error occurred while submitting the form.',
+                error: err.message || 'Unknown error'
             });
         }
     };
@@ -54,4 +89,4 @@ module.exports = (pool, transporter) => {
     return {
         submitForm,
     };
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
diff --git a/routes/contactRoutes.js b/routes/contactRoutes.js
index fe0f7be..3cd1e54 100644
--- a/routes/contactRoutes.js
+++ b/routes/contactRoutes.js
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-// contactRoutes.js
 module.exports = (contactController, securityMw) => {
     const express = require('express');
     const router = express.Router();
     const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');
     const { body, validationResult } = require('express-validator');
 
-    // Configure rate limiting to prevent spam
+    // Rate limiter to prevent spam
     const apiLimiter = rateLimit({
         windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
         max: 5,
@@ -16,20 +15,23 @@ module.exports = (contactController, securityMw) => {
         apiLimiter,
         securityMw.formSecurityCheck,
         [
-            // Sanitize and validate form data
             body('firstName').trim().escape(),
             body('lastName').trim().escape(),
             body('email').isEmail().normalizeEmail(),
             body('organization').trim().escape(),
             body('phone').trim(),
             body('message').trim().escape(),
+            body('contactMethod')
+                .notEmpty().withMessage('Contact method is required.')
+                .isIn(['email', 'phone']).withMessage('Contact method must be email or phone.'),
+            body('privacyAccepted')
+                .isBoolean().withMessage('Privacy acceptance must be true or false.'),
         ],
-        // Handle validation results
         (req, res, next) => {
             const errors = validationResult(req);
             if (!errors.isEmpty()) {
                 console.error('Validation failed:', errors.array());
-                return res.status(400).json({ success: false, message: 'Invalid form data.' });
+                return res.status(400).json({ success: false, message: 'Invalid form data.', errors: errors.array() });
             }
             next();
         },