re: Do I need a lawyer?

Contact your insurance carrier immediately.

Contact any attorney friends you have and/or trusted "friends of friends" that are attorneys. I would try to do this off the record until you know what's what.

Make sure you don't downplay your "injuries" just yet. Not that I really believe in milking it but you should give it time to understand what's going on.

Last, but not least, keep really good records. Even if it just ends up being between insurance companies, you don't want to lose the "he said, she said, I payed this" that ultimately happens in risk management.

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liability insurance caps at $25k

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That's some bullshite minimum. A lot of states are even less. California's is $5k.

You can't replace a destroyed car for those amounts unless you're driving a beater. What's the point of mandatory coverage if it doesn't accomplish the purpose of coverage in the first place?

So there’s 55k potentially out there. They’ve thrown basically 30k at you.

There’s a little wiggle room, but after the lawyer takes a third or more, you’re really chasing after about 6-8k.

You might be able to get them up a few k on your own and get pretty close to anything you’ll ever pocket from the guy’s’ insurance.

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Taken to emergency room, but nothing other than bruises and cuts.

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You fricked up right about here.

I normally don't say this, but get it done.

If you ever wonder if you need a lawyer, then you need a lawyer.

Do a rudimentary check for assets. Does he own a house,etc.

This is why I pay for under insured motorist. But that piece of shite needs to feel some pain. Those frickers are a part of the reason we pay so much.

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Taken to emergency room, but nothing other than bruises and cuts.

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Why in the hell would you ever want to put this on a public forum????

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Your claim is against YOUR policy (same as homeowners) not his. Your insurance company's claim is against his policy. What's important are your policy limits

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What are you taking about? If he has collision there is no limit on it - it’s not like homeowners.

Uninsured/underinsured is against your own policy and is subject to your deductible. Bit of he has collision (which he does as a requirement from his auto lender) then it doesn’t matter.

And realistically for property damage you should always go through your own carrier. You actually have more protections than going thorough the at-fault carrier. Depending on the the state that could be appraisal clause, arbitration, or mediation in addition to filing suit. If you go through the at-fault carrier normally yout only recourse for property’s damage disputes is filing suit.