Can I sue if I was rear ended and had whiplash bulge in my neck?

I was rear ended by someone texting while driving. My car does not have visible damage from the back because I drive a truck. But the car that hit me heavily damaged their front end. I had to go to therapy and had xrays. They found a bulged disk in my neck. My doctor bills added up to about 12 thousand at the end of the day. Not including missed work. I almost lost my job because my employer thought I was faking it. I was wondering, how much should I ask for a settlement? I am a respectable young man with no intentions to get over on anyone. I was in serious pain with headaches, etc. I sent out a demand letter to AAA and it has been about a month and a half. I haven't heard anything. What should I do?