3-car pileup and nobody will give me a straight answer on who pays for my damage

To answer your specific questions: yes, you can file a third-party claim directly with the at-fault driver's insurance even without direct contact. Going through your own insurer first (if you have collision coverage) is also an option — they'd pay you faster and then subrogate against the pickup's insurer to get their money back. The downside is you'd pay your deductible upfront and wait to get it refunded. On the timeline — fault being admitted verbally or even to another party doesn't automatically make your claim 'fast.' The insurer still has to investigate, assign value, etc. It's frustrating but not unusual. That said, most states have fair claims handling regulations with response deadlines — worth looking up your state's rules.

Short version: file directly with the pickup driver's insurance, get everything in writing, keep all your receipts and medical records organized in one folder, and if they lowball you or go quiet for more than two weeks at a stretch, talk to a PI attorney. Most do free consults and it costs you nothing to understand your options.

Quick question — did YOU get a copy of the police report? Because 'the other driver admitted fault' to their own insurer is not the same as an official finding of fault. I'd want to see what the report actually says before assuming this is all settled. Sometimes what drivers tell their insurers and what the report reflects are two different things.

This sounds so stressful on top of already dealing with an injury. I'm sorry you're going through this. It really shouldn't be this complicated when the fault is clear. I hope someone here can point you in the right direction — you deserve to actually be taken care of, not shuffled around.

That phrase 'be patient' from an adjuster is a red flag for me. They are not your friend. They're on a clock hoping you'll settle quickly and cheaply before you know the full extent of your injuries or damage. Soft tissue stuff can linger way longer than those first few urgent care visits show. Do NOT agree to any recorded statement or accept any offer until you know exactly what you're dealing with medically.

Ugh, I went through almost the exact same thing — chain reaction on an on-ramp, fault was 'admitted' early on, and I still waited almost two months to see a dime. What finally helped me was submitting everything in writing via email so there was a paper trail. The second I stopped calling and started emailing with 'please confirm in writing,' things moved faster. Hang in there, it does eventually get resolved but they absolutely count on you getting tired and giving up.

So here's the inside view: yes, if the pickup driver's insurer accepted liability for the whole chain reaction, you absolutely have a direct claim against them even though their driver never physically touched your car. Proximate cause — they set the whole thing in motion. The reason you're getting the runaround is that multi-party claims require more internal coordination on their end and sometimes the file gets bounced between reps. Ask specifically for the name and direct extension of the adjuster assigned to YOUR property damage claim. Getting a dedicated contact cuts through a lot of the chaos.