If one of our lungs failed would we die or just suffer with breathing?

Question: If one of our lungs failed would we die or just suffer with breathing?
- Keywords:
  breathing,
  disease,
  lung,
  respiration
Asked by elliejade to Asif, Laura, Lena, Sean, Viv on 19 Mar 2012.
- Sean Murphy answered on 19 Mar 2012:
  
  A collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lung and fills up the space outside of the lung, inside the chest. It may be caused by a gunshot or knife wound to the chest, rib fracture, or certain medical procedures. In some cases, a collapsed lung occurs without any cause. You will most likely survive if treated quickly.
- Viv Lyons answered on 19 Mar 2012:
  
  I know of someone who had lung cancer and had one lung removed. He was such a keen hill walker that he carried on afterwards with very little problem at all, in fact over time his one lung grew to 75% of the capacity of two separate lungs.

Question: If one of our lungs failed would we die or just suffer with breathing?