The dictionary definition of "affiliated" may be narrower than you think. It only covers companies who are related by ownership. It does not cover persons who have some interest in common. As will become apparent, the thing affiliates have in common is that someone is in control. If the accused person was not controlling the person who caused the injury, whether directly or indirectly, or at least under the common control of a person who controlled the bad actor, directly or indirectly, then that accused person was probably not an affiliate.
