2000 Bonneville Bent lateral link?

I did something incredibly stupid yesterday. Had a flat, pulled over and attempted to jack the car up. I couldn't get the jack in the usual spot because my jack was approx 1/4" too high to get underneath. Then I saw this nice, straight rod-looking thing that goes from the center of the car to the rear tire. I thought. "Why not?" Long story short, I bent it. It's not crazy bent, but it's bent.

I googled what I had done and determined that it's most likely the lateral link. Google also informed me that this could cause zero problems, could cause massive problems (especially during rain), could cause a toe problem (no clue what that means), and a variety of different responses. I don't notice any problems in driving yet.

Just need to know what I should do...

1) Point it out to my husband and blame it on a pothole.

2) Do nothing until I notice a problem.

3) Grab a hammer and bang on it until it's straight.

Any input is appreciated! Thank you!!!

I've had a similar thing on a GM W body platform. It will cause an alignment problem, and that could (will) affect tire wear, and will affect handling in rain and snow.

http://www.wwdsltd.com/files/RearControlArmCompare.jpg

The solution is to remove, straighten, and reinstall it. That's about the best way to resolve it without having to perform a 4-wheel alignment to get the vehicle driving straight on the road again. Trying to bend it back into place while it is installed can also bend the mountings, and the end result is that it will need to be aligned afterward.