
Generally, the driver of the car in this case would be liable for the injuries caused to the bicyclist. However, the insurance companies sometimes like to argue that the bicyclist was in part or in whole responsible for the collision, and therefore should not be compensated or should be compensated only partially for the injuries suffered. They make the same two arguments over and over: (1) the bicyclist was going too fast and therefore didn't have the opportunity to stop when he saw the car door open; and (2) the bicyclist should not have been going that close to the right to avoid the risk of running into a car door. An experienced injury lawyer will know how to deal with these arguments and how to prove that the driver is at fault for the accident, and not the bicyclist.