If you are talking about reasonable accidents where the other person is playing fairly, within the rules, and not being reckless, then you're correct. Otherwise they may be liable. Using medical and earnings as an example in NZ is flawed though because ACC prevents us from claiming these damages anyway.
I'll use an extreme example. If you turned around and rode the wrong way and crashed into me then I'd fully expect you to pay for any damages. I'd take you to court because I'm so confident that I'd win.
I suspect it would be a hard fight in a court for the OP unless there is some clear evidence the guy was riding like a cock, and we've only heard one side of the story.
There are legal precedents here. From the article i posted earlier:
Cordon v Basi [1985] 1 WLR 866 (England)
In this case Mr Basi, an amateur soccer player, was held liable for breaking his opponent’s leg in a tackle during a local league match. The sliding tackle was adjudged to constitute “serious foul play” and to have made in a reckless and dangerous manner and to have been worthy of a sending off.
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