The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an examination to determine if there was muscle damage from the shell fragment wounds and whether a separate rating for that condition should be granted.
The deciding factor: Additional evidence is needed to fully assess the nature of the veteran's injuries and their impact on his left knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- shell fragment wound of the left knee, retained metallic fragment in the left lower leg
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2006
- Citation
- 0601350
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,710 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0601350.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left knee disability, currently rated at 30 percent.
- Granted
The Board has granted an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected shell fragment wound to the left knee, Muscle Groups XIV and XV, with retained foreign bodies.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a shell fragment wound of the left knee do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and his PTSD does not warrant an increased evaluation.
- Granted
The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for the residuals of a shell fragment wound of the left knee. The claim is therefore granted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.