It also means that his broken neck is not so severe as to cause upper body paralysis, though it’s unknown at this point what the injury might mean for his ability to walk.
While his condition is clearly very serious, hopefully, his prognosis is good and full recovery is possible, however long it may take.
The EW story includes a picture of Jim Tavaré giving a thumbs up from a hospital bed, so the actor is at least partially conscious, though one would expect he’s heavily medicated due to the pain his injuries are likely causing him.