If I got hit by a car without insurance can I collect money for my vehicle on my own?

At the accident Sept. 27, 2013 a girl hit me in a 2002 Camaro. It would have been a head on collision if I wouldn't have swerved to the right. She said she didn't see me and that is why she hit me. When the officer came he let her go first even though there were signs of alcohol on her. She was pulled over 3 minutes later by sheriff’s dept. Because she had no headlights because her front end was attached to my Yukon. I did not get citations and the officer failed to make a police report. It took 6 months and the reason I finally got a report was because the sheriff’s dept. gave me an incident number so I could go to the city police to get a police report. It is unknown why this officer did not do the report maybe he knew her or she was family either way the officer is wrong not to do his job. It has taken me 10 months to locate her and I have spoken to her three times now. I found her car downtown at a loan company and I called the city police to go and ask her information on her insurance. She had no insurance nor did I. On the third time talking to her she said she could afford $1000. I had asked for $4000. Half of what I paid for my Yukon. When she said she would $200. On August 8th then payments after monthly. I told her I'd settle for $1,500. Am I cutting myself short on what I can receive by not taking her to court? It would cost me $77 to file and take it to court. If she really cannot afford to pay more would I even get what I originally asked for?