Seeking Prompt Accident Insurance Answers

[alice@domain.elided]

Fellow IHers,
I have an insurance question for you guys.  In the interest of 
getting prompt feedback, please email me direct.  

A lady backed out of a driveway last week and did not notice that 
I was driving down the road.  As the police wrote "... she failed to 
give right of way" and our vehicles made contact.  She caught part of 
my right rear door and right rear wheel.  I was able to limp home 
on the wheel.  Next morning, I paid $5 for a shop to beat it out to 
be "safer".  It still has a vibration, so I have been using my "space 
saver spare".  The tire shop suggested I have the alignment 
checked on that corner.  I have been unable to find a shop to do 
an alignment on only one wheel.  Their insurance asked me to collect 
estimates and is to have their appraiser call (and I hope meet) me 
this day.  The other party is fully at fault, I am the claimant.  

I have never been in an accident involving an insurance company,
so I have a number of questions about what is reasonable.  It is a 
royal pain for me to take off from work and get the estimates as I 
work in the middle of nowhere.  The time is several hours unpaid to 
do this and a lot of extra miles.  One tire shop told me that I have 
"totaled" my space saver spare tire.  It had never been used prior to 
this accident and I have driven several hundred miles on it as a 
result of this accident.  We have snow forecast for this afternoon 
and I am concerned of this dragging out such that I am forced driving 
on a spare, which not rated for inclement weather.  

Questions.  How do you suggest I arrange repair such that the 
mechanical wheel/suspension is fixed first, and the body work later.  
Two checks?  I want to have both repairs, but I want it to be safe 
foremost.  I have an interstate POV trip scheduled this Thursday and 
it is a royal PITA to keep my speed less than 50mph (spare max) 
...yet I am concerned of safe handling at higher speeds on the beat 
out original wheel (plus I do not want to wear unevenly my original 
road tire.  Is it too much to ask for payment of a new spare?  How 
would you expedite this claim?  Someone suggested I get a rental car 
...but I have no guarantee they would cover it.

Your prompt comments are greatly apprecaited.   Mark

PS.  Sorry about the non-Scout content ...I did start my Scout 
yesterday and sit in it awhile ...does that count?