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Dinh Law Firm, P.C., recovered a $175,000 car accident settlement after the insurance company involved offered less than the claim was worth. When you’re hurt because of someone else’s decision to drink and drive, a Houston drunk driving accident lawyer is here to help you understand your options.
Attorney Henry Trinh helps injured people throughout Houston hold intoxicated drivers and other responsible parties accountable after serious crashes. While you focus on your recovery, Henry’s team handles all the details of your case on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay a cent unless we recover compensation for you.
*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.
Win With Experienced Counsel
Attorney Tony Vu Dinh grew up in Houston and later attended the University of Houston Law Center, giving him a deep connection to the city and the people who call it home. After becoming a lawyer, Tony founded Dinh Law Firm, P.C., in 2001 to represent working people who needed someone on their side when they needed it most.
At Dinh Law Firm, P.C., we’re proud to serve Houston’s diverse communities and provide legal assistance in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. That means you don’t need to speak English to get justice, and we work hard so that every client understands the process from beginning to end.
We understand that recovering from an injury involves more than filing paperwork or negotiating with an insurer. Clients often need help managing medical care, repairing their vehicles, understanding their options, and handling the many details that develop after an accident.
That’s why case manager Chau Nguyen helps coordinate communication, medical referrals, treatment arrangements, and other important parts of each case while attorney Henry Trinh represents clients so that they have a fair opportunity to seek compensation and hold the responsible parties accountable.
Across the United States, 37 people are killed every day in drunk driving accidents. Drunk driving crashes happen when alcohol affects a person’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. In the Houston area, busy roadways like Highway 45 and Grand Parkway can become especially dangerous when an impaired driver decides to drive home after drinking on Main Street, Washington Avenue, or East Downtown.
For many people injured in drunk driving crashes, the hardest part begins after the accident is over. They may have to deal with doctor visits, mounting bills, time away from work, car repairs, and the stress of trying to get their lives back on track. These challenges can affect not only the person who was hurt but also their family and their daily routine.
Because impaired driving involves a preventable choice, Texas law provides ways for victims to seek compensation when another person’s actions cause harm. Understanding how these cases work can help injured victims make informed decisions about their next steps.
Just because a driver was arrested for DUI doesn’t automatically mean the insurance company needs to pay what a case is worth. To hold an impaired driver accountable, it’s critical to show how the decision they made to drive under the influence led to the crash and to the injuries that followed. This often requires gathering evidence that clearly tells the story of what happened and who was responsible.
When investigating a drunk driving accident, several types of evidence can help establish liability, including:
The more complete the evidence is, the easier it might be to demonstrate what happened and why the impaired driver should be held responsible for your damages. A thorough investigation by our Houston DUI accident lawyer, Henry Trinh, can also reveal whether additional parties might share some responsibility for the crash.
Criminal Charges and Civil Claims After a Drunk Driving Crash
After a drunk driving accident, it’s important to understand that the criminal case and your personal injury claim are two completely separate legal matters. The criminal case is handled by the state and focuses on whether the drunk driver broke the law.
Your civil case, on the other hand, is a separate issue, where the court gives you the opportunity to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses caused by the crash. One important difference between a criminal case and a civil case is the burden of proof. In a criminal DUI case, prosecutors need to prove the driver’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the highest legal standard.
In a civil personal injury case, the standard is much lower. An injured victim only has to show that it’s more likely than not that the drunk driver’s actions caused the accident and the victim’s injuries. This means that even if criminal charges are reduced, dismissed, or never filed, an injured person still has the right to pursue compensation through a civil claim.
In a criminal case, if the driver is convicted, the penalties they face could include:
On the other hand, a civil claim is focused on the victim of the accident, and the aim is to recover the financial losses that they suffered because of the DUI driver’s actions. Because of this, and depending on the specific facts surrounding your DUI accident claim, the court focuses on awarding compensation for:
Understanding the difference between a criminal case and a drunk driving accident claim is important. This is because even though a criminal prosecution might offer the satisfaction of justice being served, it doesn’t compensate you for your medical bills, replace lost income, or compensate you for the impact the crash has had on your life.
No two drunk driving accident cases are exactly alike, but attorney Henry Trinh approaches every claim with the mindset of pushing back against insurance companies. Some of our recent car accident recoveries include:
While every case is different and past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, these recoveries demonstrate our commitment to our clients.
Texas has several laws that affect how injured victims can go about getting compensation after a DUI accident, and understanding how these drunk driving accident laws work together can help victims better understand their rights after a serious collision. Some of the most important drunk driving accident laws include:
These drunk driving accident laws often overlap, and every case depends on its own facts. The driver’s level of intoxication, the available evidence, the severity of the injuries, and whether other parties might share responsibility can all affect the outcome of a claim.
In some drunk driving accidents, the impaired driver might not be the only party that can be held responsible. The Texas Dram Shop Law, under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 2, states that a bar, restaurant, or other business that serves alcohol can also be liable in certain situations.
For example, if an establishment continues serving someone who is obviously intoxicated and that person later causes a crash, the business could potentially share responsibility for the injuries that are caused by a drunk driving accident. These cases often require a detailed investigation to determine what happened before the crash. Evidence that can help establish dram shop liability includes:
Dram shop cases can be complicated because they require proving more than just the driver’s intoxication. The actions of the alcohol provider and their connection to the accident must also be examined. Our Houston drunk driving accident attorney, Henry Trinh, explores every possible path to compensation to get you fair compensation in your drunk driving accident claim.
Unlike compensation for financial losses, punitive damages are designed to hold someone accountable for especially reckless behavior and to discourage similar actions in the future. These damages are not awarded in every case, but they might be considered when a driver’s choices show a serious disregard for the safety of others. Circumstances that could support punitive damages include:
When available, these damages recognize that certain choices behind the wheel go beyond ordinary negligence, and because of that, the perpetrator deserves additional accountability.
A: You don’t have to pay upfront to hire Dinh Law Firm, P.C. We handle drunk driving accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid a fee once we secure compensation for you. If we don’t recover compensation, you don’t owe any attorney’s fees. During your consultation, we can explain how the contingency fee agreement works so you know exactly what to expect.
A: Dinh Law Firm, P.C., has recovered $175,000 in a car accident claim after the insurance company tried to lowball our client and pay less than the claim was worth. While every case is different and past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, these recoveries demonstrate our commitment to advocating for fair compensation when insurance companies prioritize their own profits.
A: Yes, Dinh Law Firm, P.C., employs Spanish-speaking lawyers. We are proudly multilingual, serving clients in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. This means you don’t have to speak English in order to understand what’s going on with your case. Our team is committed to making the legal process as clear and comfortable as possible by communicating with you in the language you’re most comfortable speaking.
A: In Texas, a driver is generally considered legally intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. However, a driver can still be arrested and held responsible for a drunk driving accident with a lower BAC if alcohol affected their normal use of mental or physical faculties. These standards are established under Texas Penal Code § 49.01 and § 49.04.
Millions Recovered for Clients Like You
Schedule A ConsultationWhen you need to hire a drunk driving accident lawyer, Dinh Law Firm, P.C., is Houston-grown. Our team regularly represents clients in the Harris County Civil Courthouse, the Harris County Justice Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston.
This means we’re familiar with the local judges, insurance companies, and procedures that can make or break your claim, allowing us to craft cases that are built around the preferences of the local legal system.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation, or call (281) 879-0447.
Content reviewed by Henry Trinh, Personal Injury Attorney at Dinh Law Firm, P.C. | Last updated: July 2026.
Our personal injury attorneys in Houston will help you overcome any complicated situation so you can rebuild your life.
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