I'm glad all this is working out, and even if the OP is out 1/3, if he walks away with a clear conscience and no misgivings, they it is money well spent.

Isn't there laws out there about riding within parameters necessary to avoid collision? Like when you are in a line of traffic, stopped at a light, someone hits a car four back from you, but the result of you stopping too close to the car in front of you and the car behind you doing the same means you are pushed into the car in front of you. You are legally responsible for that because you hit that car, not the person at the end of the line who actually caused the accident. Could be some culpability there? Not talking logic here, but law.

If you want to pursue this further, check to see if your bike is covered on your homeowner's or renter's insurance and sick your ins co on their ins co.