App . 397 , 403 ( 2015 ) ( A search is futile " where it is apparent that the sought - after records are either not in existence or not in the possession of the record ' s custodian . " ) . The Board notes , however , that many of the records identified by the Veteran have been obtained through the Social Security Administration , and therefore have been available for review . The Board therefore finds that there has been substantial compliance with the remand directives . See Stegall v . West , 11 Vet . App . 268 ( 1998 ) ; D ' Aries v . Peake , 22 Vet . App . 97 , 104 - 05 ( 2008 ) .