(a) When any livestock are so injured by the train of any railroad company as to become valueless for ordinary uses, the owner of the livestock may procure the attendance of two disinterested persons to examine the livestock. If these two persons determine the injury to be of such character as to render the livestock valueless for the purpose for which the owner kept the livestock, then the owner may put the livestock to death or cause the same to be done without impairing in any way his right to recover damages from the company inflicting the injury upon his livestock.

(b) Nothing in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be construed to prevent the railroad company which has inflicted serious injury of the character specified in subsection (a) of this Code section from putting such livestock to death.