All notices · dev notice (used to tune the judge)
Failure to provide claim information (before)
Department of Veterans Affairs · source: GSA plainlanguage.gov archive, _pages/examples/notices/failure-to-provide-claim-information.md ("Before") · 11 critical facts of 13
Placeholders in the agency's template were filled with made-up values; see the notice's source file in the repo.
Rewrites
Haiku, grade 6: 9 of 11 critical facts kept · grade 5.9
What the judge found lost or changed
- changed The evidence VA needs from you is a certified copy of your marriage license.
The letter: “we needed a certified copy of your marriage license” · The rewrite: “We needed an official copy of your marriage license before we could make a final decision on your claim.” - changed Read the enclosed VA Form 1-4107, Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights.
The letter: “please refer to the enclosed VA Form 1-4107, Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights” · The rewrite: “please read the form enclosed with this letter. VA Form 1-4107 explains your rights to appeal.”
The rewrite
Dear Ms. Reyes,
This letter is about the claim you made for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
We needed an official copy of your marriage license before we could make a final decision on your claim. We asked you for this in our letter dated June 3, 2024. We have not received it. Because of this, we have denied your claim.
You can still send us the marriage license at any time. But if we do not get it by June 3, 2025, we cannot pay you any benefits before the day we receive it. That date is one year after our first letter. Benefits can only be paid if you qualify for them.
If you do not agree with this decision, and you think the papers we already have are enough for us to give you benefits, please read the form enclosed with this letter. VA Form 1-4107 explains your rights to appeal.
Sincerely,
Enclosure: VA Form 1-4107
Sonnet, grade 6: 10 of 11 critical facts kept · grade 4.1
What the judge found lost or changed
- changed You have the right to appeal the disallowance.
The letter: “which explains your rights to appeal” · The rewrite: “you may have a right to appeal … It explains how to appeal.”
The rewrite
Dear Ms. Reyes,
We are writing about your claim for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
**We could not approve your claim yet.** We asked you for a certified copy of your marriage license. We sent that request in a letter dated June 3, 2024. We have not received it. Because of this, we have denied your claim for now.
**You can still send us the paper.** You can send it at any time. But please try to send it by June 3, 2025. That is one year after our first letter. If we get it after that date, and you qualify for benefits, we can only pay you from the day we get the paper. We cannot pay you for the time before that.
**If you disagree with our decision,** you may have a right to appeal. You may think the papers we already have are enough to approve your claim. If so, please read the form we included with this letter. It is called VA Form 1-4107, *Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights*. It explains how to appeal.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Department of Veterans Affairs
Enclosure: VA Form 1-4107
Opus, grade 6: 10 of 11 critical facts kept · grade 5.6
What the judge found lost or changed
- changed The evidence must be received before June 3, 2025, one year from VA's first letter, to avoid limits on back payments.
The letter: “if the evidence is not received before June 3, 2025, which is one year from the date of our first letter” · The rewrite: “**If we get it by June 3, 2025:** If we approve your claim, your benefits can start from your original claim date. … **If we get it after June 3, 2025:** If we approve your claim, your benefits can only start on the date we get your marriage license.”
The rewrite
Dear Ms. Reyes,
We are writing about the claim you sent us for Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.
**What happened**
To finish working on your claim, we needed a certified copy of your marriage license. A certified copy is an official copy with a stamp or seal from the office that keeps marriage records. We asked you for it in a letter dated June 3, 2024.
We have not received it, so we have denied your claim for now.
**You can still send it**
You can still send us a certified copy of your marriage license at any time.
The date you send it matters:
- **If we get it by June 3, 2025:** If we approve your claim, your benefits can start from your original claim date.
- **If we get it after June 3, 2025:** If we approve your claim, your benefits can only start on the date we get your marriage license. We cannot pay you for any time before that date.
**If you think we made a mistake**
You may think we already have enough information to approve your claim. If so, you can ask us to look at our decision again. This is called an appeal. Please read the form that came with this letter. It is called VA Form 1-4107, "Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights." It explains how to appeal.
Sincerely,
Enclosure:
VA Form 1-4107
Sonnet, grade 4: 7 of 11 critical facts kept · grade 3.0
What the judge found lost or changed
- changed VA has disallowed (denied) your claim.
The letter: “we have disallowed your claim” · The rewrite: “we have denied your claim for now.” - changed If the evidence arrives late, benefits cannot be paid for any time before the date VA receives it.
The letter: “cannot be paid before the date of receipt of the evidence” · The rewrite: “If we get it after June 3, 2025, there may be a delay. Say you qualify for benefits. We could not pay you for any time before the day we get the paper.” - changed Benefits are paid only if you are found to be entitled to them.
The letter: “if entitlement is established” · The rewrite: “Say you qualify for benefits. We could not pay you for any time before the day we get the paper.” - changed Read the enclosed VA Form 1-4107, Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights.
The letter: “please refer to the enclosed VA Form 1-4107, Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights” · The rewrite: “We put a form with this letter. It is called VA Form 1-4107. It tells you about your rights and how to appeal.”
The rewrite
Dear Ms. Reyes,
This letter is about your claim for money and help from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
We needed one thing from you before we could finish your claim. We needed an official copy of your marriage license. It must be a certified copy. We asked for it in a letter we sent on June 3, 2024.
We have not gotten it. Because of that, we have denied your claim for now.
You can still send us the marriage license. You can send it at any time. But please try to send it before June 3, 2025. That date is one year after our first letter.
If we get it after June 3, 2025, there may be a delay. Say you qualify for benefits. We could not pay you for any time before the day we get the paper.
Maybe you do not agree with our choice. Maybe you think we already have enough proof to give you benefits. If so, you can appeal. That means you can ask us to look at your claim again. We put a form with this letter. It is called VA Form 1-4107. It tells you about your rights and how to appeal.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Department of Veterans Affairs
Enclosure: VA Form 1-4107
Sonnet, grade 8: 10 of 11 critical facts kept · grade 5.2
What the judge found lost or changed
- changed The evidence must be received before June 3, 2025, one year from VA's first letter, to avoid limits on back payments.
The letter: “if the evidence is not received before June 3, 2025, which is one year from the date of our first letter” · The rewrite: “If we get it by June 3, 2025, you may be able to get benefits back to the date you first applied, as long as you qualify. … If we get it after June 3, 2025, we can only pay benefits starting from the date we receive it.”
The rewrite
Dear Ms. Reyes,
We are writing about your claim for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.
**We denied your claim because we are missing a document.** On June 3, 2024, we sent you a letter asking for a certified copy of your marriage license. We need it to finish working on your claim. We have not received it, so we closed your claim.
**You can still send us the document.** You can send it at any time. But the date matters:
- If we get it by June 3, 2025, you may be able to get benefits back to the date you first applied, as long as you qualify.
- If we get it after June 3, 2025, we can only pay benefits starting from the date we receive it.
**If you disagree with our decision,** you can appeal. You may think the papers we already have are enough for us to approve your claim. If so, please read the enclosed VA Form 1-4107, *Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights*. It explains how to appeal.
Sincerely,
Enclosure:
VA Form 1-4107
Sonnet, grade 6, 'keep everything' prompt: 11 of 11 critical facts kept · grade 4.8
The judge found nothing lost.
The rewrite
Dear Ms. Reyes,
This letter is about your claim for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
We needed one more thing from you before we could finish your claim. We needed a certified copy of your marriage license. We asked for it in a letter dated June 3, 2024. We do not have a record that we got it. Because of this, we have denied your claim for now.
You can still send us the marriage license. You can send it at any time. But the date matters:
- If we get the marriage license before June 3, 2025, we may be able to pay you from an earlier date. (June 3, 2025 is one year after our first letter.)
- If we get it after June 3, 2025, and you qualify for benefits, we can only pay you starting from the date we get the license. We cannot pay you for any time before that.
You may think we made the wrong choice. You may believe we already have enough proof to give you benefits. If so, you have the right to appeal. That means you can ask for the decision to be looked at again. We have included a form called VA Form 1-4107, "Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights." It explains your rights and how to appeal.
Sincerely,
Enclosure: VA Form 1-4107
Rewrite tool (Sonnet, grade 6): 11 of 11 critical facts kept · grade 6.4
The judge found nothing lost.
The rewrite
Dear Ms. Reyes,
This letter is about your claim for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.
**What happened**
- We needed a certified copy of your marriage license before we could take final action on your claim.
- We asked for it in our letter dated June 3, 2024.
- Our records do not show that we received it.
- Because of this, we have disallowed your claim.
**You can still send the marriage license**
The disallowance does not mean you cannot send us the certified copy. You can send it at any time.
But the date June 3, 2025 matters. That date is one year from the date of our first letter.
- If we receive the copy **before June 3, 2025**, this payment limit does not apply.
- If we receive it **after June 3, 2025**, we cannot pay benefits from any date before the day we receive it.
- This payment limit applies only if you are found to be entitled to benefits.
**If you disagree**
You may appeal if you disagree with this disallowance. An appeal is for people who believe the evidence we already have is enough for us to award benefits.
To learn about your appeal rights, please read the enclosed VA Form 1-4107, Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights.
Sincerely yours,
Enclosure:
VA Form 1-4107
The original letter
Highlighted: the passages behind the 11 critical facts.
Dear Ms. Reyes,
This letter concerns your recent claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.
Before final action could be taken on your claim, we needed a certified copy of your marriage license. This evidence was requested in our letter dated June 3, 2024. Our records do not show we have received this evidence, therefore, we have disallowed your claim.
This disallowance does not mean that you cannot submit the requested evidence. You can do so at any time. However, if the evidence is not received before June 3, 2025, which is one year from the date of our first letter, benefits, if entitlement is established, cannot be paid before the date of receipt of the evidence.
If you disagree with this disallowance and believe the evidence now of record is sufficient for us to award you benefits, please refer to the enclosed VA Form 1-4107, Notice of Procedural and Appellate Rights, which explains your rights to appeal.
Sincerely yours,
Enclosure:
VAF 1-4107