Otis Felder (Partner-Los Angeles, CA) in Live Life Bella Vita, LLC v. Cruising Yachts, Inc., defended claims against a yacht broker where the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has made a significant ruling. As background, a prominent personal injury plaintiff counsel hired a diver to inspect his new yacht’s bow thruster. However, a crew member's action led to an unfortunate accident, causing injuries to the diver’s hands. A complex legal battle ensued, with the plaintiff counsel (as owner) initiating a proceeding under the Limitation of Liability Act (LOLA) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles. Subsequently, the diver filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court and also made claims in the LOLA proceedings. The parties filed claims against others, including the yacht broker, for contribution and indemnity. The legal dispute intensified when the diver sought to stay the LOLA proceedings, claiming to be a "single claimant," a legal exception to proceeding in federal court. The district court agreed with the diver, but the vessel owner appealed. In a significant turn of events, the Ninth Circuit reversed the district court's ruling, stating that claims by others should be counted in assessing the single-claimant exception. This decision aligns with the approach of most other circuit courts considering similar issues. The ruling is crucial as it limits the single-claimant exception, allowing the federal court to address and resolve all claims in a comprehensive manner.  Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Mary H. Murgui wrote the opinion holding that claimants seeking contribution or indemnification are additional claimants rendering inapplicable the single-claimant exception under LOLA.