Otis Elevator Co.’s communications with its distributor in Aruba, Caribbean Elevator, can remain confidential, a federal judge has ruled, because attorney-client privilege attaches to the third party.

The plaintiffs in a case stemming from an elevator accident at a Marriott hotel in Aruba that allegedly caused Christopher Werder to suffer a rotator cuff injury sought to compel Otis to produce communications it had with Caribbean Elevator.