Sorry for what happened OP. I had a similar incident a few years ago where I was assaulted in a road rage incident where the local fellow just hopped out of his car, opened my car door and proceeded to punch and kick me as I was buckled in my seat. Here’s some advice:

• the process will be lengthy. Expect 2-4 years of hearings and court summons. Your wife will often have to appear in court and the wait times can be substantial.
• a good lawyer will go a long way in making the process less arduous. Make sure you agree on a fee before signing anything.
• don’t be surprised if the lawyer encourages you to settle out of court. The financial hit, believe it or not, can hurt the dude more substantially than a court ruling.
• don’t assume that a ruling is final. There are appeals courts, and everything takes its sweet time to get dealt with. The initial ruling can be upheld, but it can also be overturned or turned into much milder punishment.
• if you want to be mule headed and see the thing through (Supreme Court) out of principle,then prepare for a lengthy, and quite a costly affair.