Wheel/Strut Creaking Sound after Collision

Hey all, I would appreciate any advice on this seemingly *minor* issue I have. Besides this one issue, my Prius C 2012 is doing fantastic at 90K+ miles

Around a year ago, I hit - what I think was - a big semi truck tire carcass going about 75mph on the freeway at night. I immediately pulled over and didn't notice any major damage. However, over the subsequent months, I then started noticing that whenever I go over small bumps (speedbumps, or rough roads) at slow speeds, I hear a creaking sound from my driver side wheel. It's very consistently audible at slow speeds, like a rusty metal joint with a faint clunking sound mixed in.

I told the mechanics about it a few months ago when I had my regular service and they swapped tires, but they didn't notice anything. They said I'd have to have the car scheduled for a full alignment check if I was still concerned.

So the Q I have for y'all is do you think this something worth fixing/replacing/worrying about? It's really only noticeable while driving at slow speeds over bumps. I haven't noticed any other handling issues, especially at high speeds, but I'm worried there could be something broken with the left front strut that could lead to potential safety issue. Finally, how much do you think it would cost to have a mechanic replace the whole strut if that's the case?

Thanks!

 

Alright, thanks, I think I will schedule an appointment and have it thoroughly looked at.