Do It Yourself Dangers, Part 1-Stacy Case

The combination of warm weather and a sagging economy is turning many of us into weekend home improvement warriors.

And while that may save you some money initially, FOX 17 has learned it's costing some Do It Yourselfers in the long run.

That's because they're getting hurt with serious injuries in the process.

Some have blinded themselves, cut off their fingers, and even broken bones.

For Do it Yourselfers, the sound of power tools can mean serious savings over hiring someone to do a job.

Dean Damesworth says, "I thought I could save money.. but in the long run I lost money."

And that's not all he lost.

"I stood here and watched my saw go through my thumb. It went tumbling off this way in the sawdust."

A few months ago, Dean Damesworth set out to put hardwood in his living room.

He was cutting one of his last boards when, "This jumped back and this turned around like this and I had my hand like this this close to the saw."

Not surprising, says Damesworth's orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jeff Watson.

Dr. Watson says, "The majority of things we see from do it yourselves usually come from power equipment, table saws, scale saws, nail guns. There's often a split second of regret that resulted with someone either losing a digit or having a very disfiguring injury in their hand or upper limb."

When Dr. Watson first looked at Damesworth's x-rays, he thought he'd have to amputate behind the joint.

Dr. Watson says, "We closed his thumb at the first joint here, which still gives you reasonable function. When you start getting shorter than that it significantly hinders the overall function of the hand. So with thumbs we are more aggressive than any other digit about trying to preserve length."

And the economy is bringing in more people like Mr. Damesworth, do-it-yourselfers, making repairs, or doing home projects they mighit not normally do, to save some cash.

According to one survey by Angie's list, a website that publishes reviews of contractors, 83% of homeowners who did it themselves, said they did so to save money. One in five do it yourselfers couldn't finish the job because of injury or skill level and had to call in a pro anyway.

Naomi Damesworth, Dean's wife, says,

"Probably if we had it to do over.. the living room part.. we probably would have hired it done."

Dean says, "I've come out money lost by getting my thumb cut off and the trips to the hospital.. and all this stuff I've been out I could have paid a man to put it down and come out cheaper."

Since the Damesworth's are retired, the injury didn't cause them to lose time and money away from work.

But the couple, on a fixed income, have racked up $3,000 in medical bills.

"The ambulance trip was the most expensive. I think that was about $1,300. And you know you could have put hardwood down for $1,300.

The Damesworths didn't call in a contractor, their son was willing to finish the floor.

Now dad needs help with other things.

"The main thing is buttoning his shirt and buttoning the button on his dress pants."

And eating? Well that's a show too.

"I get it and I have to hold it between my two fingers."

Even with this minor disability, now every time he looks at his handiwork, Dean Damesworth is reminded of just how much worse it could've been.

Doctors say Damesworth will eventually regain some feeling in his thumb.Do It Yourself Dangers, Part 1-Stacy Case