WILLEMSTAD - An employee has lost his right to accident compensation because he failed to report his workplace injury to the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) within the required one-year period.

The Joint Court of Justice upheld the decision, ruling that the responsibility to report the accident lies with the employee, not the employer.

Under the National Accident Insurance Ordinance, workers must submit a fully completed and signed report to the SVB within twelve months of the incident.

The man failed to do so, and since there were no valid circumstances to justify the delay, his entitlement to compensation expired.

The employee had appealed a previous ruling by the Court of First Instance of Curaçao, but the Joint Court confirmed that earlier decision. The SVB will also not be required to cover court costs.

The judgment serves as a reminder to all employees that they are personally responsible for timely reporting workplace accidents, even if employers often assist with the paperwork. Failure to meet the reporting deadline can result in losing the right to accident benefits.