Opinion ID: 717171
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Contra preferentem.

Text: 34 Brown submits that whether or not the district court found the personal injury endorsement ambiguous, it improperly construed it against Brown as drafter of the provision. Brown relies here on the doctrine of contra preferentem, which construes a disputed phrase against its drafter. Black's Law Dictionary, p. 327 (6th Ed.). Brown in its motion for reconsideration, rather than the district court, introduced the concept of ambiguity into the contract analysis. The lower court stated it had not found the personal injury provision ambiguous. Even if the provision was vague, the lower court correctly concluded that Brown had drafted it. Moreover, Brown's status as a sophisticated business entity rendered it at least equal to City Insurance, rendering inapplicable the rationale for the doctrine of contra preferentem. For these reasons Brown cannot properly rely on this concept for insurance coverage. 35