What is a Designated Assessment Centre?
Designated Assessment Centres, or DACs, are health care service providers or facilities appointed under the authority of the SABS to provide independent assessments of persons injured in automobile accidents in Ontario. DACs provide a mechanism to assist in the early resolution of disputes between claimants and insurance companies through the provision of neutral, objective, expert opinions on medical issues. You may be required to attend a DAC if your accident occurred on or after January 1, 1994. If you fail to attend without reasonable excuse, you may not be permitted to go to mediation or arbitration. See Practice Note 1 “Using Medical Evidence To Support Your Claim for Accident Benefits” under Section C of the Code. See also Practice Note 12 “What Claimants Need to Know about Designated Assessment Centres” under Section C of the Code. Additional information about DACs and the guidelines they must follow can be found on FSCO’s website at www.fsco.gov.on.
